Young Health Professionals’ Perception of Training and Capacity Building for Improved Utilisation of Phytomedicinal Antimalarial: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Aims: To assess the perceptions of young health professionals regarding training and capacity building for the improved use of phytomedicinal antimalarials and enhancing research in Nigeria. Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Conducted in NIPRD between January to March 2025. Methodology: A simple random sampling technique was used to recruit participants. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Responses from 203 participants were analysed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics summarised demographic characteristics. The association between socio-demographic factors was assessed using multivariate binary logistic regression. Results: Most respondents were female, and nearly half were aged between 22 and 25 years. Over two-thirds came from non-medical but health-related disciplines. More than two-thirds had received formal training in antimalarial drug development or natural medicine research. Almost all participants (98.5%) agreed that training enhances understanding of phytomedicinal antimalarials. Internships at research institutions were rated the most valuable opportunity for gaining practical experience (52.7%). A majority showed strong interest in phytomedicinal research, driven by a desire to make a difference (64.0%) and by career aspirations (58.1%). Workshops were identified as the most convenient training format (73.4%). Research grants (68.5%) and mentorship programmes (61.3%) were the most cited support needs. Logistic regression revealed that individuals with research backgrounds were significantly more likely to value participation in fieldwork (p < 0.05). Conclusion: There is a strong interest among young health professionals in phytomedicinal antimalarial research, accompanied by a recognised need for structured training and hands-on experience to support malaria control strategies.