Table 4 Utilization of village clinics for child’s illness, use of medicines at village clinics managed by CHWs in Mchinji district 2014: data collected at baseline survey (October 2013) and end line survey (October 2014)

Source where care for child’s illness was sought first

(N = 124)

(N = 107)

(N = 88)

(N = 84)

 CHWs (village clinics)

42 (33.9) [25.5 to 42.3]

96 (89.7) [83.9 to 95.5]

36 (40.9) [30.5 to 51.3]

40 (47.6) [36.8 to 58.3]

 Government Health Facility

63 (50.8) [41.9 to 59.7]

8 (7.5) [2.5 to 12.5]

32 (36.4) [26.2 to 46.5]

27 (32.1) [22.0 to 42.2]

 Mission (CHAM) Health Facility

3 (2.4) [0.03 to 5.0]

1 (0.9) [0.7 to 2.7]

1 (1.1) [−1 to 3.4] 

4 (4.8) [0.1 to 9.3]

 Other non-formal sources (shops, traditional healers)

16 (12.9) [6.9 to 18.9]

2 (1.9) [0.9 to 4.4]

19 (21.6) [12.9 to 30.3] 

13 (15.5) [7.6 to 23.3]

Use of LA at village clinics

(N = 30)

(N = 36)

(N = 19)

(N = 15)

 Children with fever/confirmed malaria that received LA

18 (60.0) [41.4 to 78.6]

35 (97.2) [91.8 to 104.3]

14 (73.6) [47.9 to 92.7] 

14 (93.3) [76.3 to 98.4]

Use of ORS and zinc at village clinics

(N = 20)

(N = 19)

(N = 12)

(N = 15)

 Children with diarrhoea that received ORS

17 (77.3) [58.3 to 96.3]

12 (63.2) [41.8 to 89.9]

7 (58.5) [44.3 to 69.4] 

10 (66.6) [37.4 to 87.5]

 Children with diarrhoea that received Zinc

2 (8.3) [3.5 to 20.3]

10 (52.6) [46.2 to 78.1]

4(20.0) [0.8 to 39.2] 

9 (60.0) [46.5 to 76.2]

Use of antibiotics at village clinics

(N = 24)

(N = 41)

(N = 6)

(N = 10)

 Children with cough that received Antibiotics

21 (84.0) [68.6 to 99.4] 

34 (83.0) [74.8 to 96.4]

5 (83.3) [40.5 to 126.0] 

9 (90.0) [87.8 to 100.8]

Caregivers adherence with CHWs treatment regimen

(N = 55)

(N = 35)

(N = 31)

(N = 14)

 Sought care for child’s fever within 24 h of onset of fever

38 (44.2) [33.5 to 54.8]

33 (94.2) [86.0 to 99.7]

20 (64.5) [45.5 to 72.9]

11 (78.5) [64.5 to 85.4

 Caregiver gave correct dose of LA to fever child

10 (37.0) [18.1 to 55.9] 

24 (68.5) [59.1 to 80.6]

8 (25.8) [17.3 to 36.5] 

7 (50.0) [37.2 to 63.2]

 Caregiver gave first dose of LA the same day to child

7 (10.4) [2.9 to 17.9] 

35 (100.0) [96.6 to 108.7]

3 (9.6) [3.2 to 17.5] 

12 (85.7) [62.6 to 95.1]

Children referred by CHWs (VCs)

(N = 42)

(N = 35)

(N = 36)

(N = 40)

 Children referred to Health Facilities from village clinics due to danger signs including severe malaria

11 (26.19) [12.3 to 40.1] 

5 ( 5.2) [0.8 to 12.3]

4 (11.1) [0.3 to 21.9] 

12 (30.0) [15.2 to 46.8]