Methods:
We utilized extracted Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data collected between 2010 and 2021 among 353,463 under-fives children from 32 SSA countries. Our outcome variable was the use of TMP for childhood illnesses (diarrhea or fever/cough or both). We used STATA v14 to conduct meta-analysis and two-level multivariable modeling.

Results:
Approximately [2.80% (95%CI: 1.88-3.90)] women who sought healthcare for childhood illnesses utilised the service of a TMP with the highest in Ivory coast [16.3% (95%CI: 13.87-19.06)] followed by Guinea (13.80% (95%CI: 10.74-17.57)] to the lowest in Sierra Leone [0.10%(95%CI:0.01-1.61)]. Women with no formal education [AOR=1.62;95%CI:1.23-2.12], no media access [AOR=1.19;95%CI:1.02-1.39), who lived in a household headed by a man [AOR=1.64;95%CI:1.27-2.11], without health insurance [AOR=2.37;95%CI: 1.53-3.66], who considered it a problem getting permission to visit a health facility [AOR=1.23;95%CI:1.03-1.47] and perceived the size of their children at birth to be above average[AOR=1.20;95%CI:1.03-1.41] had higher odds of using TMP for childhood illness.

Conclusion:
Despite the low usage of TMP for childhood illness, our findings highlight that TMPs continue to have a role in managing childhood illness in SSA. It is essential that policymakers and service providers consider the potential role of TMPs in designing, reviewing and implementing child health policies and interventions in SSA. Also, child health policies and interventions should be focused on the characteristics of women who use TMPs for childhood diseases identified in our study.