Availability of personnel, facilities and services in Primary Health Care Centres in a Local Government Area in Benin City, Nigeria

Submitted: 24 September 2020
Accepted: 12 October 2020
Published: 9 November 2020
Abstract Views: 1630
PDF: 633
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

Background: Effective delivery of healthcare services especially at the Primary Health Care level requires availability of adequate infrastructure, basic diagnostic medical equipment, drugs and well-trained medical personnel. Quality Primary Health Care initiatives have been recognized as fundamental to improving health outcomes. This study assessed the resources available for Primary Health Care delivery in a Local Government Area in Benin City, Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. All the public primary health centres in Egor LGA, Benin City, Nigeria were assessed for availability of personnel, facilities/ equipment and services using an adapted observational checklist.

Results: All the 10 public primary health centres were assessed. The primary health centres had inadequate skilled-manpower: only 1 (10.0%) had a medical officer, Community Health Officers and nurse/midwives were adequate in only 2 (20.0%), and none of them (0.0%) had a medical record officer and pharmacy technician. Basic equipment for examination of clients were available in 3 of the health facilities (30.0%). All 10 of the health centres (100.0%) offered basic services but not for 24 hours. Essential drugs were not regularly available in all the facilities.

Conclusions: Basic healthcare services were rendered but not for 24 hours. Several challenges such as inadequate skilled health personnel, lack of basic amenities, and shortage of essential drugs affect the primary health centres. Basic hospital facilities/equipment needed to enhance 24 hours’ service delivery at the primary health centres should be provided by the Local Government.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

Obionu CN. Primary Health Care for Developing Countries. 3rd edition. Enugu: Evanseenio Printing and Publishing, Enugu, Nigeria. 2016;1-42.
Obioha E, Masemote M. Functioning and Challenges of Primary Health Care (PHC) Program in Roma Valley, Lesotho. Studies on Ethno-Medicine 2011;5:73-88. doi:10.1080/09735070.2011.11886393. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09735070.2011.11886393
Daniel HK, Yanfang SU, Hong W. Assessment of Primary Health Care System Performance in Nigeria: Using the Primary Health Care Performance Indicator Conceptual Framework. Health Syst Reform 2016;2:302-18. doi: 10.1080/23288604.2016.1234861 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2016.1234861
Obembe TA, Osungbade KO, Ibrahim C. Appraisal of Primary Health Care services in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria: How committed are the health workers? Pan Afr Med J 2017;28:134. Available from: https://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/28/134/full/. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2017.28.134.12444
Global Conference on Primary Health Care. Declaration of Astana: from Alma –Ata towards universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals. Astana, Kazakhstan, 25-26th October, 2018.
Federal Republic of Nigeria and National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). National Guidelines for Development of Primary Health Care Systems in Nigeria. 4th Revised Edition. NPHCDA Abuja, Nigeria. 2012.
Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). Minimum Standards for Primary Health Care in Nigeria. Department of Planning, Research and Statistics NPHCDA Abuja. 2012;1-69. Available from: https://hfr.health.gov.ng/resources/download/Minimum%20Standards%20for%20Primary%20Health%20Care%20in%20Nigeria.pdf
Health Partners International. Bringing Primary Health under One Roof. HPI 2014. Available from: http://resources.healthpartners-int.co.uk/resource/bringing-primary-health-care-under-one-roof-prrinn-mnch/.
Uzochukwu BSC. Primary Health Care Systems (PRIMASYS): Case study from Nigeria. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2017:1-36. Available from: https://www.who.int/alliance-hpsr/projects/alliancehpsr_nigeriaprimasys.pdf?ua=1
Federal Republic of Nigeria. National Health Act, 2014, Official Gazette. Government Notice No. 208. Act No. 8. Federal Government Printer, Lagos, Nigeria. 2014;101:A139-72.
Federal Republic of Nigeria. Second National Strategic Health Development Plan 2018-2022: Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the wellbeing of Nigerian populace at all ages. Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria. 2018.
Edo State Government. Strategic Health Development Plan II (SHDP II) 2018-2022: Towards actualizing the provisions of Basic Health Care Services. Edo State Ministry of Health, Benin City, Nigeria. 2018.
Abdulraheem IS, Olapipo AR, Amodu MO. Primary health care services in Nigeria: Critical issues and strategies for enhancing the use by the rural communities. J Public Health Epidemiol 2012;4;5-13. Available from: https://academicjournals.org/article/article1379661924_Abdulraheem%20et%20al.pdf. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5897/JPHE11.133
Edo State. City Population. Available at: https://www.citypopulation.de/php/nigeria-admin.php?adm1id=NGA012.
Oyekale AS. Assessment of primary health care facilities' service readiness in Nigeria. BMC Health Serv Res 2017;17:172. doi:10.1186/s12913-017-2112-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2112-8
Alenoghena I, Aigbiremolen AO, Abejegah C, Eboreime E. Primary Health Care in Nigeria: Strategies and Constraints in Implementation. Int J Community Res 2014;3:74-9. Available from: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ijcr/article/view/107665.
Alenoghena IO, Isah EC, Isara AR. Availability and Type of Human Resource for Health in Public Primary Health Care Facilities in Selected Communities, Edo State. J Community Med Primary Healthcare 2016;28;11-8. Available from: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jcmphc/article/view/154689.
Adie H, Igbang T, Otu A, et al. Strengthening primary healthcare through community involvement in Cross River State, Nigeria: a descriptive study. Pan Afr Med J 2014;17:221. Available from: https://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/17/221/full/. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2014.17.221.2504
Adam VY, Awunor NS. Perceptions and factors affecting the utilization of health services in a rural community in Southern Nigeria. J Med Biomed Res 2014;13:117-24.
Joshua IA, Mohammed S, Makama JG, et al. Hospital waste management as a potential hazard in selected primary healthcare centres in Zaria, Nigeria. Nigerian J Technol 2014;33:215-21. Available from: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/njt/article/view/107661. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/njt.v33i2.11

How to Cite

Adam, V. Y., & Nwaogwugwu, J. C. (2020). Availability of personnel, facilities and services in Primary Health Care Centres in a Local Government Area in Benin City, Nigeria. Annals of Clinical and Biomedical Research, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/acbr.2020.111