THE IMPACT OF CHANGING HEALTH POLICY ON NIGERIAN WORKERS: A CASE STUDY OF KADUNA METROPOLIS
THE IMPACT OF CHANGING HEALTH POLICY ON NIGERIAN WORKERS: A CASE STUDY OF KADUNA METROPOLIS
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1999-11
Authors
KAJANG, DANIEL RIKICHI
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This study sets to find out how the changing health policies in Nigeria affect the
state of health of public servants as it relates to medical services and living conditions
such as housing, feeding patterns and general welfare. It documents strategies devised
by the public servants for coping with the adverse consequences of changes in the
health policies and assesses the adequacy of measures taken by the government to
ameliorate them. The position of this study is that the capitalist nature of the Nigerian
economy is reflected in the distribution of health services and the living conditions of
various classes of workers in the public service. A quota sample of 245 respondents
from federal, state, and local government establishments in Kaduna metropolis
responded to a questionnaire on how the removal of free medical care for public
servants have affected them and how their families live and feed under SAP.
Individual interviews and group discussions were employed to complement the
survey data. Frequency distribution and chi-square tests were used for data
analysis. The findings revealed that following the withdrawal of free medical services,
the cost of modern medical services went beyond the reach of most public servants.
To meet their health needs, most public servants, resorted to seeking alternative
means of treatment like the utilization of faith healing through prayers (54.1 per cent),
traditional medicine and spiritual healing homes (26.1 per cent) and self-medication in
various forms (12.6 per cent). As regards housing 103 ( 60.0 per cent) said the prices
of their rented houses were raised beyond what they could afford. They went to live in
substandard cheaper houses in less sanitary environments with their attendant health
hazards and physical insecurity. They complained that the rent subsidy given to them
was too meager to secure any decent accommodation. The findings also revealed that
134 (65.9 per sent ) of the public servants' food intakes consists mainly of
carbohydrates with very limited protein and mineral contents. Furthermore, most of
the public servants' families have only one or two meals a day because they cannot
afford three meals. From the aggregate of the findings, it is revealed that the changing
health and economic policies in Nigeria have had a significant negative impact on
Public Servants' state of health and living conditions. Government measures like the
introduction of meal subsidy and review of salaries and some allowances, have not
adequately addressed these issues, thus compounding the workers' plight. It is
observed that the labour power of workers sustains the country and the Government
should ensure that the health and welfare of its workers be adequately provided for. It
is therefore recommended that government should rescind its decision on the
withdrawal of free medical treatment for public servants, and provide adequate
subsidies for housing facilities, feeding, transportation and other welfare needs of the
public servants.
Description
Being, A Thesis Submitted to the Postgraduate
School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the award of the M.Sc. (Master of Science)
Degree in Sociology
BY
DANIEL RIKICHI KAJANG
FASS/PG./4175/91 -92
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA NIGERIA
November, 1999
Keywords
IMPACTn, CHANGING,, HEALTH,, POLICY,, NIGERIAN,, WORKERS,, CASE STUDY,, KADUNA, METROPOLIS