Challenges and opportunities in urban health care delivery in Nigeria

Okoroafor Francis Okey *, Ichoku Hyacinth Eme and Ihuoma Anthony Adiekperechi

Department of Economics, Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria.
 
Review
World Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology and Sciences, 2023, 10(01), 130–135.
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjaets.2023.10.1.0267
Publication history: 
Received on 16 August 2023; revised on 25 September 2023; accepted on 28 September 2023
 
Abstract: 
People in many parts of Nigeria are facing serious challenges in accessing healthcare due to the rapid increase in the number of people migrating to urban areas. This makes the accessibility even more difficult as a result of meagre funds allocated to health sectors. It is on this premise that the study elucidates key healthcare challenges facing the urban population in Nigeria to identify potential opportunities for improvement in the nation’s development in order to meet the sustainable development goal (SDG) 3. The study explicitly shows that 39 percent of the people visited the hospital for medical care, 64.8 percent visited clinics, 12 percent and 7.9 percent visited dispensary and pharmacy respectively. This was due to average time spent to travel to seek consultation. This is why we propose the following recommendations; Robust Health Data, Capacity Building, Promoting Quality Health Professionals, Improved Health care Funding, Health Policy, and Adoption of Technology (Telemedicine).
 
Keywords: 
Health care; Urban areas; Slums; Health facilities; Nigeria
 
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