Community-Based Strategies for Diarrheal Disease Management and Prevention in Children Below Five Years.

Abstract

Diarrheal diseases are a major public health problem associated with high morbidity and mortality in children below the ages of five. Globally, it accounts for 9% of deaths among children less than 5 years. In spite of a reduction in the mortality by 34.3% in Children below five years between 2005 and 2015 and 20.8% among people of all ages, its prevalence remains high above the expected in sub-Saharan Africa including Cameroon. This review aimed at identifying the different strategies used by mothers and caregivers of children under five at the community level in the management and prevention of diarrheal diseases. Most of the strategies reported in the literature used by mothers and caregivers for the management and prevention of diarrheal in children at the community level included rehydration with oral rehydration solution, zinc supplementation, use of nutrient rich foods, access to safe drinking water, use of improved sanitation services, hand washing, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, good personal and food hygiene, health education about infection spread, handling and storage of food and the control of carrier pathogens such as houseflies and Rotavirus vaccination being the most effective. Vaccination against the Rota virus is the most effective prevention and management strategy against diarrheal on children below 5 at the community level. There is need for more sensitization on the importance of vaccination against the Rota virus in communities especially vulnerable communities with poor access to safe drinking water in order to curb the impact of diarrheal diseases in children at the community level.