Utilization of Primary Health Care for Maternal and Child Health Care Services in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

A primary health care system aimed at reducing maternal morbidity and mortality as well as child health care. Maternal and child related morbidity and mortality is generally acknowledged to be a failure of the overall health system. The basic essence of PHC service was designed to provide universal access to skilled pregnancy care in order to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity, very little is known of the factors that predict the use of PHC for skilled maternity care in rural parts of Nigeria. This study examined Utilization of Primary Health Care for Maternal and Child Health Care services in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. The data were sourced from primary and secondary sources; primary data were sourced and collected through the use of questionnaires. The SPSS version 22.0 package was used to construct a database, the data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics. Multistage sampling techniques were used to select 180 respondents in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. From the findings, it was established that majority of respondents were within the age range of 29-25years 32.7%; educational status revealed dominance of secondary education 41.1% and those that are into business/trading 31.1%. The income range showed that most respondents 45.6% earned below the Nigerian minimum wage of N18,000. Majority of 87.2% visited PHC and other health care facilities for antenatal services, most began attending ANC visits within 1-3months 53.5%, the number of ANC visits showed that above 4times accounted for 41.4% and major reason for ANC attendance was to check the health status of foetus and mother 60.5%. Majority of respondents despite attending ANC at a health facility delivered at home 43.3%. Maternal health related diseases were mostly bleeding after delivery 49.4% and Sepsis/infection 43.3% while place of treatment was majorly primary health care 39.4% and remained at home 29.4%. The major child related disease which was respiratory disease/cough and catarrh 52.2% while malaria 46.1%; the place of treatment was basically at a primary health care 48.9%; specific type of treatment administered was paracetamol 38.9%, anti- malaria 38.2% while cough syrup/medicine 28.9%. About 42.8% practiced family planning method. Services offered to respondents during ANC visits of last pregnancy, blood test 96.2%, blood pressure test 94.9%, feeling abdomen 92.4%, weighed 89.1%, counseling on delivery with a skilled birth attendant 87.9%. the major factors affecting the utilization of primary health care for maternal and child health care service; bad/poor roads 51.7%, long waiting time 2-5hours 41.1%, long queues 40.0%, inadequate skilled personnel 36.1%. from the findings of this study it was revealed that PHC facilities are utilized. The majority (87.2%) of the study population was found to rely on PHC services for maternal and child health care and majority started ANC visits within the first trimester of pregnancy (53.5%) but after attending antenatal, majority delivered at home which accounted for 43.3%. The study recommends that Government should ensure adequate funding of PHC centres for provision of necessary facilities, a forum should be created for women of child bearing age who are in dearth need of the services of the tertiary health institutions following complications at subsidized rate especially when they cannot afford it, this will help to reduce maternal mortality.