MORTALITY OF UNDER-FIVES IN A RURAL AREA OF HOLOENDEMIC MALARIA TRANSMISSION

From January 1992 to December 1993, a total of 361 births and 243 deat hs were recorded by village reporters in five villages in Muheza Distr ict, north eastern Tanzania. Among those aged less than one year 48 de aths were recorded, giving an infant mortality rate of 133 per 1000 li ve births (95% CI 97.9-168.0). There were 42 deaths among the censused population of 845 children aged 1-4 years (24.8/1000/year, 95% CI: 17 .4-32.3). Verbal autopsy questionnaires were administered to parents o r close relatives of 83 of the dead infants and children. From analysi s of these, 30 of the deaths were tentatively attributed to malaria. T he results are discussed in relation to other studies in East and West Africa and to the prospects for reducing mortality by use of insectic ide impregnated bednets.