Role Of Local Government In Healthcare Delivery

This study was carried out on the role of local governments in healthcare delivery using Awka South LGA as a case study. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprised of social care workers and top officials of Awka South LGA, Anambra State. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 53 respondents and 50 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables. While the hypotheses were tested using chi-square statistical tool. The result of the findings reveals that the extent at which Awka South local government council provided healthcare services to its residents between 2013-2021 is high.The study also revealed that Awka South LGA played an effective role in ensuring the availability of adequate healthcare services between 2013-2021.Therefore, it is recommended that adequate supervision, monitoring and evaluation of programmes should be pursued with vigor and required manpower provided. The Nigerian health policy makers should give priority to the training of more rural health workers. This is to prevent the drift of rural health workers from the rural communities to the urban centres. To mention but a few.

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Local governments are potentially effective instrument for rural transformation and delivery of social services i.e. health care delivery. This is because of local governments proximity to the people and the relative ease with which they can communicate with the local jurisdiction. The constitution guarantees the existence of system of democratically elected local councils and each State must enact legislation to establish same and provide for their structure (Yadav, 2010).

This position seems to be particularly true of the democratic situation in Nigeria especially since it has been argued that the worst democratic system of government is better than the most benevolent military system of government. Health is an important indicator of country"s status of development, as it goes in a saying, "a healthier nation is a wealthier one". In line with this statement, the county has adopted several policies and strategies towards improving the health condition of the country. Ad in its effort to provide healthcare services to all, the country"s healthcare system is provided via three levels; the Primary Healthcare which is given at the level of the Local Government, the Secondary at the state and the Tertiary Healthcare handled by the Federal Government (Adeyemo, 2005).

Health care delivery is a very essential function which the Local Government is expected to give the people at the grass root and which delivery ought to be adequate, efficient and consistent. The Local Government is very suitable for this function considering its proximity in its closeness to the people. The project work hope to contribute to the existing literature as the topic by exploring the developments in the most recent times of the government desire to tackle the menace of variety of sickness prevalent in our society. The study of health care delivery in the Local Government therefore is based on the constitutional involvement of basic necessities to the populace particularly with regard to health (Adeyemo, 2005).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The Primary Healthcare (PHC) plan was launched by the Federal Government in 1987 as the cornerstone of health policy intended to affect the entire national population with the main stated objectives to include; accelerated healthcare, personnel development, improved collection and maintaining of health data, ensured availability of essential drugs in all areas of the country, implementation of an Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), improved nutrition throughout the country, therapy for treatment of diarrhea, diseases in infants etc. However, of all these objectives, the EPI was the most concrete and focused on major childhood diseases; pertussis diphtheria, measles and polio, tetanus and tuberculosis (Yadav, 2010). This study is an attempt to examine the Nigerian Local Government Healthcare Delivery (The PHCs) with Awka South Local Government as the case study.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the role of local governments in healthcare delivery: A case study of Awka South LGA. 2013 -2021. Specifically, other aims of this study are:

Ascertain whether local governments participate in public health delivery.

Determine the extent Awka South local government council provided health care services to its residents between 2013-2021.

Ascertain whether Awka South LGA played an effective role in ensuring the availability of adequate healthcare services between 2013-2021.

Ascertain whether Awka South LGA played a significant role in facilitating quality healthcare delivery between 2013-2021.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

Does local governments participate in public health delivery?

To what extent did Awka South local government council provided health care services to its residents between 2013-2021?

Did Awka South LGA play an effective role in ensuring the availability of adequate healthcare services between 2013-2021?

Did Awka South LGA playa significant role in facilitating quality healthcare delivery to residents between 2013-2021?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses will validate this study:

H01: Local governments do not play a significant role in healthcare delivery.

H02: Local governments plays a significant role in healthcare delivery.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will aid the bodies in charge of health care service delivery as it will highlight the importance of local governments in healthcare delivery. It will also assist service providers at the local governments level in developing strategies and action plans to encourage increased use of the services available. These efforts will help to start the process of enhancing access to health care services, which will eventually improve the overall health of everyone in Awka South.

This study will contribute to the current literature in this field and will also serve as a resource for academics, researchers, and students who may want to do future research on this topic.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study focuses on the role of local government in healthcare delivery: A case study of Awka South LGA. Specifically, this study focuses on ascertaining whether local governments participate in public health delivery, determining the extent Awka South local government council provided health care services to its residents between 2013-2021, ascertaining whether Awka South LGA played an effective role in ensuring the availability of adequate healthcare services between 2013-2021, and ascertaining whether Awka South LGA played a significant role in facilitating quality healthcare delivery between 2013-2021. The study covers the period of 7years and the respondents will be obtained from local government workers.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. However, the researcher were able to manage these just to ensure the success of this study.

Moreover, the case study method utilized in the study posed some challenges to the investigator including the possibility of biases and poor judgment of issues. However, the investigator relied on respect for the general principles of procedures, justice, fairness, objectivity in observation and recording, and weighing of evidence to overcome the challenges.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Local Governments: Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-localised and has limited powers.

1.10 Organization of the Study

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, abnd selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings on the role of local governments in healthcare delivery using Awka South LGA as a case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was on the role of local governments in healthcare delivery using Awka South LGA as a case study. The study is was specifically carried out to ascertain whether local governments participate in public health delivery, determine the extent Awka South local government council provided health care services to its residents between 2013-2021, ascertain whether Awka South LGA played an effective role in ensuring the availability of adequate healthcare services between 2013-2021, and ascertain whether Awka South LGA played a significant role in facilitating quality healthcare delivery between 2013-2021. The study assessed the period of 7years.

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 50 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent were social care workers and top officials of Awka South LGA, Anambra State.

5.3 Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher concluded that;

Local governments participate in public health delivery.

The extent at which Awka South local government council provided healthcare services to its residents between 2013-2021 is high.

Awka South LGA played an effective role in ensuring the availability of adequate healthcare services between 2013-2021.

Awka South LGA played a significant role in facilitating quality healthcare delivery between 2013-2021.

5.4 Recommendation

Based on the responses obtained, the researcher proffers the following recommendations:

There is the dearth need for the Local Government as well as all the other tiers of government to increase their allocation to the health sector. Local Governments on the other hand should be more inward-looking and aggressive in the area of internally-generated revenue. This is to reduce the dependence on the federation account in financing health programmes.

Priority should be given to improved living condition of the people beyond the present poverty level, so as to enhance better healthy living. To this end, intensive and effective health education of the public must of necessity be reinforced, in other to eliminate such diseases as malaria, typhoid and other infectious diseases.

There is the need for maintenance of minimum health standard, improved housing condition, water, environment, sanitation and food supply for the sustenance of good health condition.

Good leadership and political stability is desirable to provide enabling environment for the implementation of the PHC programmes. This will invariably reduce the problem of abandoned projects in the health sector. There is the need to put a stop to unnecessary responsibilities being given to LGA"s by the state governments.

Adequate supervision, monitoring and evaluation of programmes should be pursued with vigor and required manpower provided. The Nigerian health policy makers should give priority to the training of more rural health workers. This is to prevent the drift of rural health workers from the rural communities to the urban centres.

More financial and other incentives should be provided to prevent the high staff turn-over of health workers. In conclusion, Primary Health Care in Nigeria and especially Awka South Local Government have come a long way and certainly still require more effort so as to achieve the goal of health for all now and beyond.

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