The Effect of Foreign Aid on Health Outcomes in Nigeria: A Case Study of Lagos State Teaching Hospital

Abstract

The paper examined the effect of foreign aid on health outcomes in the Lagos State Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to uncover the actual effect of foreign aid inflows on health outcomes in Nigeria. The paper employed a quantitative research methodology which explored secondary resources from WHO publications, journals and thesis on foreign aids and their contribution to health outcomes in developing countries especially Nigeria, and other official reports, and statistical bulletins. Qualitative methodology was also applied in this research. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered within the Lagos State Teaching Hospital, with a sample population of 50 healthcare personnel. The qualitative methodology was adopted to give a holistic view of the research study based on the concepts of the literature review, and to fully understand the situation of the topic under study in the country. One of the situation which the paper found out, is that Nigeria have received substantial amount of foreign aid and yet these amount of foreign aid is still considered to be low given the huge healthcare issues in Nigeria. The paper also revealed that, the foreign aid received through the Government in the country have been largely ineffective in addressing the health issues of Nigeria. This could be as a result of the lack of balance between the health challenges in Nigeria and the rate at which these aids are used to fund it. Lack of appropriate policies on disbursement rate of foreign aids to various health cases such as tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and others, could be the case for the perception of how low foreign aids are to the issues of healthcare. This is, without the articulation of the corruption laced on handling of foreign aids in Nigeria. The paper finally revealed foreign aid has a positive impact on the Nigeria health outcomes especially in the area of maternal health, but grossly ineffective in other areas. The study recommended that, the Nigeria government should ensure that foreign aid meant for the health sector is not diverted to other sectors and that; foreign aid dedicated to the health sector should be used judiciously