Table 4 Treatment-seeking behaviour and drug of choice for malaria symptoms (N = 607)

Steps of treatment before visiting health provider (can give multiple answers)

Use remaining drugs at home

245

40.4

Do nothing

214

35.3

Buy over-the-counter drugs (pharmacy/kiosk/etc.)

103

17.0

Herbal treatments

59

9.7

Blood letting

26

4.3

Others (pray, drink, get warm, apply wet cloth, etc.)

32

5.3

Time of visit to health provider

Same day as onset of symptoms

44

7.2

Day after onset of symptoms

131

21.6

Two days or more after onset of symptoms

425

70.0

Do not remember

6

1.0

First choice of health provider

Public health centre

415

68.4

Malaria control clinic*

138

22.7

Private clinics/private practice

17

2.8

General hospital

6

1.0

Caritas hospital*

21

3.5

Others (over-the-counter drugs, community health worker, etc.)

8

1.3

Do not know

2

0.3

First choice of drug ( can give multiple answers)

Blue drugs

537

88.5

Brown drugs [without blue drugs]

334 [21]

55.0 [3.5]

Green drugs

64

10.5

Yellow drugs

136

22.4

Primaquine

46

7.6

Spleen drugs

7

1.2

Small drugs

24

4.0

Paracetamol

111

18.3

White drugs

149

24.5

Chloroquine/quinine

11

1.8

Antibiotics

4

0.7

Supplements/vitamins

7

1.2

Herbal e.g., papaya leaves, cat’s whiskers, …

56

9.2

Use of herbal medication

Oral/topical, complementary to medical drug

46

7.6