Journal of Biology and Nature

Aim: This study aimed to determine malaria prevalence and document traditional malaria treatment practices among the indigenous people of Afikpo Local Government Area (LGA), Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Study Design: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted.

Place and Duration of Study: The research was conducted in the Ukpa Amachara and Ngodo Amachi communities in Afikpo LGA, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, from October to December 2025.

Methodology: A total of 100 participants from the Ukpa Amachara and Ngodo Amachi communities volunteered to participate after the study objectives had been explained to them. Malaria screening was performed using CareStart Malaria HRP2 (Pf) rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits with finger-prick blood samples. Sociodemographic characteristics, malaria treatment choices and traditional malaria treatment practices were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics in IBM SPSS version 25.

Results: The overall prevalence of malaria was 20.0% (n/N = 20/100). The highest positivity rate was observed among children, at 33.3% (n/N = 2/6). However, malaria prevalence did not differ significantly across age groups, sex, educational background or occupation (P > 0.05). Among the 100 study participants, conventional antimalarials were the most common treatment modality, accounting for 58.0% (n = 58). By contrast, 34.0% (n = 34) reported using traditional herbal remedies, whereas 8.0% (n = 8) used both conventional and herbal medicine. Of the 67 participants who reported traditional malaria treatment practices, the most frequently reported remedy was Agbo, a generic herbal mixture (38.81%, n = 26 responses), followed by physical vapour inhalation or bathing (13.43%, n = 9 responses) and boiled Neem leaves (10.45%, n = 7 responses). Of these 67 participants, 62 provided reasons for their treatment choices. Ease of access and perceived rapid action accounted for 58.07% (n = 36) of responses, whereas financial constraint accounted for 1.61% (n = 1).

Conclusion: Malaria remains a public health concern in Afikpo North. The use of herbal remedies such as Agbo, Neem and Moringa reflects cultural trust and accessibility within the study communities. Public health authorities should collaborate with local herbal practitioners to validate, standardise and regulate commonly used traditional remedies and to promote safe dosing and timely clinical referral for vulnerable groups.