Roll Back Malaria Initiative encourages participation of private health providers in malaria control because mothers seek care for sick children from them. This study investigated Patent Medicine Sellers (PMS) management of presumptive malaria in children in order to identify how they can assist malaria control. A cross-sectional survey of 491 PMS in Kaduna, Nigeria, was done using interviews and observation of shop activities. Most (80%) customers bought drugs without prescriptions. Only 29.5% were given instructions about doses. Between 40–100% doses of recommended antimalarials were incorrect. Some (22%) PMS did not ask questions about illness for which they were consulted. Most children treated in shops received injections. PMS facilitate homecare but have deficiencies in knowledge and practice. Interventions must focus on training them to accurately determine doses, give advice about drug administration, use oral medication, and ask about illness. Training should be made a prerequisite for registering and reregistering shops. 1. Introduction If Africa is to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing childhood mortality by two thirds by 2015, new approaches to healthcare delivery must be developed [1]. Despite various national and international efforts, malaria still remains a major cause of childhood mortality accounting for about 800,000 deaths annually [2, 3]. As over 80% of these deaths occur in African children under the age of five, it will be difficult to achieve the MDG goals without substantially reducing the burden of malaria [3]. The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership was established to coordinate a global approach to combat malaria, and at an RBM meeting in 2000, African heads of the state pledged to ensure that 60% of people suffering from malaria have access to affordable and appropriate treatment within 24 hours of the onset of illness and 60% of children and pregnant women sleep under Insecticide-treated Nets [3]. Treatment starting within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms prevents progression to severe malaria or death [4]. However strategies to achieve this goal must take into account populations that do not patronize public health facilities or are inadequately served by them. Often children do not reach public facilities untill three or more days after the onset of symptoms because they are treated at home or by private health providers in the community [5–9]. Yet until recently private health providers were not the focus of intervention programs but now the Roll Back Malaria Initiative is encouraging
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