BUJUMBURA February 21st (ABP) – The household living conditions survey conducted by ISTEEBU, the results of which were recently made public, reveals a high morbidity rate of 29.3% in the people of Burundi, with a very low disparity between places of residence (22.8% in urban areas against 30.2% in rural areas) and between the sexes (26.8% for men and 31.6% for women).
On the other hand, there is a strong difference in the morbidity rate between Bujumbura City Council and other urban areas (19.2% in Bujumbura City against 22.8% in other urban areas).
The morbidity rate is higher in the elderly than in children (44.1% for people aged 60 or over and 39.7% for those under 5). That survey also showed that malaria is the most frequent pathology in Burundi with a prevalence estimated at 50.5%.
After malaria comes cough, cold and flu (11.5%), intestinal worms (6.7%), then eyes with 4.9%, diarrhea with 3.8% and skin diseases and accidents with 2.7%.
With regard to medical consultation, the results of the survey showed a high consultation rate of 76.2% with very little difference according to place of residence, gender and agricultural season. The rate varies according to age and is higher in children under 5 (87.3%).
Among the sick people who do not have recourse to medical consultation, 38.7% give the reason of lack of financial means as the main reason. It should also be noted that there is a strong self-medication used by just under one in four people (23.6%). The rate of self-medication is higher in Bujumbura-Mairie (40.7%) than in other urban centers (22.2%).