ACCESSIBILITY OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN CHANCHAGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The increasing need for the efficient and effective healthcare delivery in Nigeria has for long been the dream of many governments. Primary Healthcare Services as an instrument in ensuring the availability and functioning of healthcare services at the grassroot is present in Minna the administrative capital of Niger State in Nigeria. As the headquarters of urban Local Government, this study assessed the functions of the PHCs in Minna in other to gauge their accessibility to the target groups in terms of functions, physical access and satisfaction to service delivery. Using social and physical survey methods coupled with physical observations by the researcher, this study established that the PHCs are mainly in areas dominated by those earning low-income with many earning below the national minimum wage. The health facilities are spread across the study area, dominated by emergency and paediatric services and over 90% are general health clinics mainly attending to out-patients (over 75% do not admit patients). The daily capacity of the PHCs range from 5-25 patients, and over half (50%) do not have even a single medical doctor, but, each have at least a cleaner. About 60.2% of the facilities are within 1,000m (1km) distance from people as against the recommended 500, hence, only 20% of residents are able to walk to the health facilities. In terms of accessibility to the PHCs, over 70% of users are confronted by the issues of bad roads, 43% by high costs or charges due to low-income, and, 48% and 64% due to lack of manpower and equipment respectively. These factors are seriously challenging the full utilization of these facilities needed for sustainable urban development and management in growing urban areas like Minna and similar cities. In order to ensure sustainable and efficient urban primary healthcare services provision, it was recommended that there should be increased efforts of the government particularly the Local Government in terms of equipment and manpower provision; this can boost healthcare delivery and further reduce distance covered to access healthcare services. This also calls for the utilization of the strength and potentials of other stakeholders especially the Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in funding and safeguarding the PHCs and similar urban facilities in cities and towns.