Aim & Objective:
To study the role of presumptive antimalarial therapy in preventing severe and complicated malaria in children.
The study was carried out from August 2003 till August 2004 at the Paediatric Department, District Civil Hospital, Amravati.
Outdoor patient and indoor patients of fever, suspected to have possible malarial fever were included in the study group. Total 1000 patients from age group of 1 year to 12 years were included in the study group patients received presumptive treatment with chloroquine (10 mg/kg) and peripheral smear was studies for presence of malarial parasite. Those who were M.P. +ve, received a radical treatment as per NMEP programme.
Amongst the study population, only one child developed a severe form of cerebral malaria who survived with proper treatment and there was not a single mortality in this group.

Conclusion:
Presumptive treatment with chloroquine to the suspected child of malaria reduces the incidence of severe complicated malaria.

Mahapedicon 2005 - Conference Abstracts.Pediatric Oncall [serial online] 2006 [cited 15 July 2006(Supplement 7)];3. Available from:
http://www.pediatriconcall.com/fordoctor/Conference_abstracts/
MAH_PEDICON2006/presumptive_antimalarial_treatment.asp