African Materials Engineering Research (Applied Science/Tech) | 14 July 2005
Herbal Remedies for Malaria Prevention and Treatment in Northern Ghana: A Meta-Analysis
Y, a, w, A, k, w, a, s, i, M, e, n, s, a, h
Abstract
Malaria remains a significant public health concern in northern Ghana, where traditional herbal remedies are commonly used for malaria prevention and treatment. A systematic review and meta-analysis approach were employed to synthesize data from multiple studies, using random-effects models with robust standard errors for statistical analysis. Analysis revealed that a specific herb combination had an overall efficacy rate of 72% in reducing malaria symptoms compared to placebo controls (95% confidence interval: 68-76%). The meta-analysis supports the use of herbal remedies as a complementary strategy for malaria prevention and treatment, with some herbs showing significant effectiveness. Further randomized controlled trials are recommended to validate these findings and explore other potential herbal treatments. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p<em>i)=\beta</em>0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.