Abstract
The study examined rural health care problem and management in Nigeria with a focus on Delta State. The study adopts literature search and a survey design; questionnaires were administered to fifty two health establishments, 2 to each local government area. 26 general hospitals are located in urban areas and another 26 medical health centres located in the rural communities, but with the shortest distant from the general hospitals selected in each LGA of Delta State. The data were presented in tables and analysed with multiple regression analysis. The study revealed that the health care services in Nigeria are operating at a dismal level, which is predicated on inadequate skilled human resources/personnel, poor funding from local government, corruption, lack of commitment by the local authorities, far distance, climate, self interest, lack of information and health services. These factors correlated (0.89) significantly with health problems at p<0.05. Also most of the hospitals visited lack basic modern health facilities. The implication of this, is that it has led to the abysmal poor quality of health care services in the various hospitals and health centers in the state and consequently in Nigeria. As such the study recommends that the Federal, State and Local Government in Nigeria should live up to their responsibility of meeting the basic health care needs of Nigerian by equipping the health establishments with the requisite personnel/facilities as recommended by WHO and the 2004 Health Review Policy of the Federal Ministry of Health. Key words: Rural, health, care, problem, Nigeria.
Highlights
The healthcare system in Nigeria and the health status of Nigerians are in a deplorable state (Olayiwola, 1990; Aluko-Arowolo, 2005)
Apart from this, most of the health infrastructural facilities are concentrated in urban areas to the neglect of rural areas, and the few health facility located in the rural areas are not functioning effectively (Ajilowo and Olujimi, 2007)
Before the advent of the missionary most rural residents depended on traditional health services, but presently there exists a variety of health-care types and services in Nigeria
Summary
The healthcare system in Nigeria and the health status of Nigerians are in a deplorable state (Olayiwola, 1990; Aluko-Arowolo, 2005). Nigeria’s overall health system performance was ranked 187th position among the 191 Member States of the World Health Organization in 2000. Health status indicators are worse than the average for sub-Saharan Africa. Infant mortality rate of 115 deaths per 1,000 live births; under-5 mortality rate of 205 deaths per 1,000 live births; and maternal mortality ratio of 948 deaths per 100,000 live births (range 339 deaths per 100,000 live births to 1,716 deaths per 100,000 live births) is one of the highest in the world (FMoH, 2004). In Nigeria over 70% of her inhabitants live in rural communities yet the area has not attracted sufficient health facilities/projects that would substantially improve the health need of the rural dwellers. Apart from this, most of the health infrastructural facilities are concentrated in urban areas to the neglect of rural areas, and the few health facility located in the rural areas are not functioning effectively (Ajilowo and Olujimi, 2007)
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