Malaria has been a major threat to the life of patients living within Port Harcourt and its environs despite adoption of different preventive strategies to combat it even with a constant mass distribution of long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets, increased community awareness programmes, increased availability of Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), biolarviciding and increased advertisements of the dangers of malaria by both government and drug producers. This study investigated the causes of constant visits of patients for malaria treatment in UPTH-Nigeria, measures adopted by the patients for prevention and reduction of malaria and possible preventive measures. 500 willing patients was used for this study using both structured questionnaires and oral interview to obtain information regarding their demographic malaria preventive strategies adopted, drugs used for malaria treatment and prevention as goals for reduction of associated morbidity and mortality. This study revealed that patients are making efforts to curb malaria by the use of ACTs 376 (75.2%) but improper use of adequate malaria drugs in form of non-ACTs 279 (55.8%) resulted in an inadequate cure as many visited patent medicine dealers for initial treatment, inability to get the proper drugs prescribed to them by medical practitioners due to poverty, improper protection of houses with nets in doors and windows 252 (50.4%), stagnant drainage systems 462 (92.4%), inability to cut bushes around their homes 363 (72.6%) and poor use of insecticides 265 (53%) has been a major pitfall to their having a proper and long lasting treatment for malaria.
Keywords: Malaria; Insecticide; ACTs; Mortality;