# Practical example of Root Cause Analysis

https://www.learning.foundation/nigeria

## Asking “why” five times: Uncovering the real causes of recurring malaria in children

Using a practical example of a child repeatedly treated for malaria, the Collaborative demonstrates the root cause analysis approach.

Instead of settling for quick fixes, participants are encouraged to ask “why” five times to uncover the underlying issues:

1. Why does this child keep getting malaria?

2. Why are so many children in your village getting malaria?

3. Why are there so many mosquitoes near your homes?

4. Why is there stagnant water around the village?

5. Why are the drainage systems blocked and broken?

“Once you’ve asked why five times, what you find is very different from where you started out, regardless of how much or how little you know about malaria and the context of that particular community.”

This showcases how the Collaborative will approach immunization challenges during the peer learning exercise.