AN ASSESSMENT OF HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN SOME SELECTED SLUM AREAS OF MINNA, NIGER STATE

Abstract

This research highlighted areas of intervention in addressing healthcare shortage in slum areas through the assessment of data on the types and nature of healthcare facilities, and the challenges of healthcare facilities by the use of structured questionnaires, interviews, physical observation and image capturing with digital camera. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select a total of 77 patients across the facilities which were interviewed. Data acquired were analysed using descriptive statistics and the result revealed that the primary healthcare facilities in slum settlement were in good condition though in need of some little maintenance. The six (6) sampled facilities were not evenly distributed with only two service radii intersecting with each other. A 100% coverage of the neighbourhoods by the needed health facilities is not achieved by the present distribution at both 500m and 1000m radius. At 500m radius (walkable distance), only 10-25% of patients and residents of the sampled neighbourhoods could use the facilities; at 1,000m (1km), the usage level increased to 60-85% (only Kpakungu has less than 50%) – hence, over 68% of residents travel for about a kilometre to access and use the facilities with the remaining left outside this service radius. The facilities and the patients that use them are still contending challenges of bad roads especially during the raining season, traffic congestion, absence of emergency facilities like ambulance and emergency room, inadequate number of facilities, time wasting, and inadequate space for out-patients to use. Overall, about 45% of patients and users of the facilities observed that PHCs seriously lack adequate equipment and Staff. The study came up with recommendations: the provision of more primary healthcare Staff and facilities at strategic locations – Kpakungu is presently having less than 50% of the needed facilities, each of the sampled neighbourhoods will require 2-3 additional facility to achieve satisfactory coverage within 500m radius. Encourage proper maintenance and utilization of the facilities – only 28% have tarred road access, extensive expansion of the small facilities to accommodate more out-patients and space for other activities, provide adequate portable water and efficient electricity power in order to advance the services of the primary healthcare system to achieve health related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).