Anaemia in a rural population in Nigeria (Ilora)

In an attempt to define the prevalence of anaemia in children in the rural population of Nigeria, 401 children living in a village 55 km north of Ibadan were selected at random. The prevalence of ‘anaemia’ as defined here, is high, especially in children aged from one to five years. Malaria and nutrition both play important roles in the aetiology of childhood anaemia, and G6PD deficiency would seem to protect against severe malaria parasitaemia. Bacterial infection and haemaglobinopathy also appear to be contributory factors in anaemia in this age group.