Assessment of administration and financing of Primary Health Care Financing in Nigeria

Background to the Study

One of the cardinal objectives of good government is to have effective healthcare delivery system put in place for the entire citizenry. Provision of effective healthcare system for the majority of the citizens would go a long way in enhancing healthy lifestyles sustainable , human and national development. this is so because the citizens who are healthy and the ones that will contribute physically and mentally to political economic social and industrial development of a nation. There are three basic tiers of health care system in Nigeria. The first tier of healthcare is a primary health service, which is the closest to the people and his constitutionally the responsibility of local government to stop according to World Health Organization (1991), primary health care means essential health care based on practical scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families and the rural community at a course which they can afford (Akinsola, 1993).

Primary health care forms and integral part of the Nigerian social and economic developments. It is the first level contacts of healthcare for individual and community in the national health system, thus bringing healthcare as close as possible to where people live and contributing the first element of the continuing healthcare system (Akinsola, 1993). To this affect financial primary health care is highly significant and indispensable for enhancing effective healthcare delivery in Nigeria since majority of the grassroots dwellers might not have access to private health care. The way a country finances its health care system is a key determinant of the health care of its citizenry. Selection of an adequate and efficient method of financing in addition to organizational delivery structure health services is essential for the achievement of healthcare objective of providing health for all who stop a healthcare financing system involves the means in which funds are generated allocated and utilised for healthcare. It has three basic functions of collecting revenues pulling resources and purchasing services. The commonly used mechanisms for implementing these functions include tax based financing, out-of-pocket payments, donor funding and health insurance.

Over the years, the state of primary health care is highly disheartening because the state of primary health care service in majority of the rural areas today as shown that primary health care is fully financed which has affected the quality of primary health care delivery. The extent of poor health care service increase in the rates of maternal deaths and diseases in the grassroots areas which justified the poor condition of health care service in the state and in the country at large. Moreover, Paul financing of primary health care makes majority of primary healthcare centres have insufficient number of medical personnel inadequate health facilities little or no drugs and medical equipment. Thus, the major cause of decadence is inadequate funding of the primary health care in Nigeria.