Health Care Delivery System In Nigeria Research Articles

Assessment of Primary Health care Facilities on readiness for Antenatal Care and Childhood Immunization Services in Zamfara State, Nigeria

Effective maternal and child healthcare delivery centers on availability of essential medical equipment, drugs and trained medical personnel in health facilities. Poor funding, inadequate supply of physicians, essential equipment and drugs as well as mismanagement characterized healthcare delivery system in Nigeria. This study assessed public primary health care facilities on readiness of Antenatal Care (ANC) and childhood immunization services in Zamfara State, Nigeria. Based on theoretical orientation of Political Economy of Health Care, quantitative and qualitative data were used for the study. Descriptive statistic was used for quantitative data analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), while ATLASti8 software was used for qualitative data. The study found most of the visited health facilities offered various components of ANC and childhood immunisation services but did not comply with the current eight (8) ANC visits as recommended by WHO. Other essential services including hepatitis B tests, breast examination, Fansida for malaria prevention, free folic acid and iron supplements, insecticide treated nets, weight scale, ROTA vaccine and midwives were grossly inadequate in most health facilities. The study also found urban bias in terms of distribution of healthcare staff in Zamfara State. This study recommends that Zamfara State government, non-governmental organisations and donor agencies should urgently channel their efforts to PHC centers and address the challenges confronting primary health care centers in Zamfara State.

Smart Medication for secure health with Internet of Things

For over a decade, network and technology has been improved to an equal extent which has led to an easy transmission of data over the entire globe. Besides growth and development of Internet of Things in our daily life such as health care and home automation, secured transmission is significant regarding how confidential and secured the information is, to assure the privacy. The data related to the health are acquired from medical devices and monitoring systems. Some information are acquired from the patient. In this project we will be more particular in gathering the information from the patient. They ultimately end up in Electronic Healthcare Records. These records are sent to labs, doctors, nurses and other parties involved. This enables doctors, caregivers to monitor patient's physiological conditions at any time according to the information obtained. Hence, it is based on this that this research work is carried out to determine the level at which the internet has been able to improve the delivery of healthcare services in the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria. Keywords: Internet of Things, Home Automation, Electronic Healthcare Records, medical devices, monitoring systems.

Covid-19 in Nigeria: Exploring the Paradigm Shift and Issues’ Arising

Background: Corona viruses are a family of deadly viruses that cause respiratory illnesses; they were first reported in Wuhan city, China. Since its report in China, the virus has spread almost across the whole continents of the world leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Furthermore, upon declaration of Covid-19 as a public health emergency of international concern, the world has moved its frontiers to new way of life viz-a-viz paradigm shifts with a cascade of issues arising on a daily basis.Methods: The sources of the information presented was obtained through detailed review of literatures (search terms: Covid-19, Beta corona virus and paradigm shift and matter arising), anecdotal/case analysis, and surveys undertaking from the field. Also other key facts were obtained from relevant websites (such as Nigeria World health organization, Centre for Disease Control and prevention, Nigeria Center for Disease Control, Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health).Results: The likelihood of a worsened outbreak in Nigeria and other developing countries characterized by poor adherence to standard precautions, poor health care facility, deficiency of adequate laboratory facilities for prompt diagnosis and personal protective equipment (PPE) can raise the profile of this disease to worrisome levels. Regular training of health care workers, continue Covid-19 health awareness campaign, Health education of the communities, improved funding through budgetary allocation for surveillance, prompt case management including laboratory facilities, is not only extremely essential at this point in time but also expedient in the light of the threat of COVID-19.Conclusion: The dearth of molecular laboratories and poor health-care delivery system in Nigeria would continue to impede the effective prevention and control of evolving infectious diseases including Covid-19. There is an urgent need to address all the issues impeding on Covid-19 control in order to effectively control and prevent it.

The Healthcare Delivery System in Nigeria: Legal Framework, Obstacles and Challenges to Providing a Public Insurance System

This work seeks to examine the Nigerian Healthcare system through the lens of its public health insurance laws to access its successes and challenges and also make recommedations towards an effective healthcare delivery system.

Understanding the Nigerian Healthcare Delivery System: A Paradox of Preventive Medicine Since the Colonial Epoch

No human society is mundane to healthcare delivery method. Apparently, the process of healthcare delivery depicts the extent of the social development of a particular society. However, the healthcare delivery process in Nigeria from the colonial era attained a new paradigm by shifting from the practice of traditional medicine to the western styled patterns. Since the colonial Nigeria, both the traditional and western medicine has been dependable sources of preventive medicine for the Nigeria populace. In spite of the outright condemnation of the traditional healthcare practices, it received unbridled patronage by a larger Nigeria populace, thus the post-independence Nigeria witnessed a paradox of health care delivery.
 Aim: This paper aims to provide an understanding on the revolutions in the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria since the colonial period.
 Methodology: An extensive review of literature was carried out to elicit information on the Nigerian healthcare delivery since the colonial period.
 Results: The study revealed that the Nigerian healthcare delivery system is characterized by high cost. The study also showed that Nigeria has been witnessing inequitable distribution of healthcare facilities since the colonial period.
 Conclusion: The healthcare delivery system in Nigeria is not a colonial invention but the advent of the colonial masters brought about an outstanding transformation in the healthcare delivery process of most Nigerian societies. Thus, the practice of preventive medicine is indigenous to the Nigerian people.

The unending threat of Lassa fever in Nigeria, what can be done; what should be done

Background: Lassa fever is known to be endemic in West African region, and Nigeria bears the most burden of the disease and case fatalities. It is worrisome and disheartening for an emerging infectious disease such as Lassa fever, to linger for 49 years but surge in incidence in a country such as Nigeria, endowed with both human and natural resources. Methods: The sources of the information presented was obtained through detailed review of literatures using Medline, Ovid and PubMed (search terms Lassa fever, Arenaviridae and viral haemorrhagic fever), case analysis, and surveys undertaking from the field, and relevant websites (such as Nigeria Center for Disease Control, Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Results: The possibility of a large outbreak in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan Countries characterised by dearth of laboratory facilities for prompt diagnosis and personal protective equipment (PPE) and its potential use as a biological weapon has also raised the profile of this disease. Health education of the communities, improved funding through budgetary allocation for surveillance, prompt case management including laboratory facilities, training of health personnel, isolation of cases, barrier nursing, contact tracing, provision of antiviral drugs and vaccines that is effective against this disease and supply of PPE is not only necessary but also expedient in the light of the threat due to Lassa fever. Conclusion: The weak health-care delivery system in Nigeria, would continue to impede effective control of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases including Lassa fever. There is an urgent need to provide resources to effectively control and prevent Lassa fever.

Utilization of Herbal Medicine Among Inhabitants of an Urban Centre in North-Central Nigeria

This study examined utilization of herbal medicine among inhabitants of Ilorin, North-Central Nigeria. 460 participants selected through multi-stage sampling technique were included in the study. Result showed that, Pile 20.2%, was the most treated illness with herbal medicine followed closely by malaria fever 17.7% and typhoid fever 14.9%. 46.0% of the participants utilise herbal medicine because of its efficiency in treatment while 15.8% used it because it works faster for them. Socio-demographic characteristics of participants found to affect utilization of herbal medicine were: income (p=0.001), education (p=0.0001) and occupation (p=0.0005,while those found not to affect utilization of herbal medicine were: age (p=0.5330) and sex (p=0.0054).The study recommended massive enlightenment on the dangers involved in indiscrimate use of herbal medicine, regulation of herbal medicine, provision of health insurance scheme for Nigerians and more research into herbal medicine with a view to integrating it into the modern healthcare delivery system in Nigeria.

The Dilemma of Equity and Social Exclusion in Health are Delivery Services in Nigeria

Health is a fundamental human right and the attainment of the highest possible level of health is a most important worldwide social goal. The provision of quality, accessible and affordable healthcare therefore remains an important issue globally. However, there is no denying in the fact, that Nigeria’s healthcare index is very poor, and that the people are suffering as the healthcare policies and programmes in the country are implemented in a way that those at the lower socio-economic strata of society suffer exclusion. Consequently, the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria is largely hinged on individual’s ability to pay rather than on needs. This article argues that Nigeria’s national health care delivery indices can only be improved if services are available, accessible and affordable.