THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH ADMINISTRATION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
ABSTRACT
This project work on the importance of community health administration and rural development was carried out to find out the importance community health administration in rural development and what are the adverse health implications when the community involvement is very minimal. It also try to find out what factors are responsible for its ineffectiveness during its implementation. While it also took a look at the method best suited for the checkmating and control of all factors and conditions that adversely affects the administraiton.However, this project is divided into five(5) chapters, the chapter one gives a general overview of the topic, which includes background overview of the topic, which includes background of study historical background of study area, statement of problem, purpose and objectives of the study, signifcnace of study, delimitation and scope of study, research questions and definition of terminology used. Chapter two focuses on literature rreview. The researcher reviewed the work of experts and renounce authors that are related to the rsearch work. Chater three deals with the research methodology which includes research design, smapling techniques, sample size, determination, and instruments for data collection.In the chapter four, the data were vividly presented and carefully analyzed, using the simple percentage table. While in chapter five the findings were discussed in relation to the literature review and analysis from chapter four. It also talks about the summary, conclusion and recommendations.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
The basic human needs of psychological needs, love needs, Esteem needs and self-actualization hinge on the availability of good health care delivery services. Although quality health is seen as one of the active ingredients for the development of any nation. Woyd, (2009) . Ebuehi et al (2008), states that quality health is one of the active ingredients for the development of any nation. That a nation suffers economically, educationally, physically and socially if a greater percentage of its population, especially the work force is ill or mained. For example, persons suffering from AIDS, Tuberculosis, and terminal stage of cancers, may not be as productive as if is expected of them. Consequently, they may become liabilities to the rest members of the community. Wadinga A, (2007).
According to Amadi, (2004) he stated that the vulnerable ones in any society or community, includes the infants, childbearing/ pregnant women and the aged who are very susceptible to infections. He further attributes this to the inability of the three tiers of government to provide basic health care infrastructures and services, and also the scarcity of health care providers in the country especially in the rural areas. Felicia Monye, states that shortage of health workers is a major problem in Nigeria, especially in the rural areas where more than 70% of the entire population lives. Also, she states that of the primary care level, trained community health officers provides services normally reserved for doctors or medical specialists. That in order to improve such services, especially in the rural areas, the community health officers must therefore be supported and motivated in order to provide effective and efficient health care services. Thus, this study is carried out on how community health administration can be improved for efficient and effective health care delivery services in the rural communities. Also to find out what factors either motivates or demotivates the health workers in accepting/rejecting rural posting. Through this study, we will know the role the local government NGO’s, the community and the health care providers in enhancing the community health administration in the rural areas.
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Access to health care in Nigeria today is generally limited. The problem of poor funding has resulted in low quality of health services and facility. It is pertinent to note that health services and facilities of all levels, is either dilapidated, poorly equipped, or dysfunctional. The poor management of the available health personnels translate to inefficient and ineffective health care delivery services in the rural areas, Osuorji, (2009). There is considerable interest by local governments in the country in exploring the potential of social health insurance in order to increase accessibility and affordability of health care delivery service, Ojo, (2008). Also Airede (2006) identified with the above statement and also went further to suggest that if the local governments are ready to support and motivates health care providers, the morbidity and mortality rate of most rural communities will greatly reduced. Thus, the reverse is the case, because most local government administrators do not take the health sector seriously . they handle it as they handle all political issues.
It is pertinent to note that every community accepts some forms of treatment as appropriate and others as unacceptable. Though all forms of treatment is seen to have multiple effects and this varies from person to person, and are greatly influenced by age, level of susceptibility, finance, culture and ignorance, which is attributed mostly to the rural dwellers, sturgeon and Meer, (2006). In Sagbam local government area which happens to comprise of rural communities, there ahs been an unprecedented rise in mortality and morbidity rate of infants due to either maladministration in the health sector or inadequate well trained health personnels. According to Dr. Kpokiri (2008), we states that three (s) of one thousand (3/1000) death occurs yearly while two hundred (100) in one thousand (1000) infants falls sick monthly. Still births is recorded as three (3) in three hundred (300) births. Also, the health facilities are very few and it cannot carter for the ever increasing rural populace. Though at times it is due to the low patronage, poverty and ignorance of the rural dwellers.
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