Objectives: Diarrhoeal diseases (DDs) constitute public health problem. Reduction in related mortality and morbidity hinges on active participation of home caregivers. It is pertinent to determine the degree of their empowerment.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Randomly selected community primary health centres in northwestern Nigerian.
Subjects: Home caregivers presenting with children aged 1-59 months having DD.
Outcome measures: Knowledge, attitude and practice regards home management of DD.
Results: Less than 1% of caregivers was knowledgeable about home management of DD. Antibiotics and anti-diarrhoeal agents use was common at 36%. ORS use was abysmally low at 8.6%. Only 32% of caregivers were aware of the use of zinc in the management of DD. Adherence to 10-day zinc supplementation was encouraging at 75.5%.
Conclusion: There is an urgent need to scale up educational and promotional activities with regards to the home management of DD if the millennium development goals are to be met.