SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN SOBA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN SOBA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2020-08
Authors
SHEHU, Zailani
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Abstract
Primary health care is considered to be one of the most important aspects of the health care
system in any country, which directly helps in improving the health of the population.
Potential spatial accessibility is a very important component of the primary health care
system. The aim of the research is to analyse the spatial distribution of health care facilities in
Soba local government area of Kaduna state, Nigeria. The coordinates of the health care
facilities were obtained using the handheld GPS. In determining the accessibility of the health
care facilities, random points were generated to represent the centroid of the wards within the
wards boundary, and the average distance taken (travel time from each ward to each
healthcare facility (HCF) along the road network) were calculated using the network analyst
functionality in ArcGIS 10.3. This involves the use of Origin Destination (OD) Matrix
analyst tool. The distance between every ward geographic centroid and all the healthcare
facilities were further structured into a geo-database to harness and determine the distance in
kilometre from all the wards to the various healthcare facilities in Soba and determine the
distances in accordance with the World Health Organization criteria. The result shows that
the forty nine (49) health care facilities were randomly distributed across the study area and
out of which, Turawa ward had the highest allocation with eight (8) that is about 16.33%
followed by Kinkiba with seven (7) 14.29%, while Danwata ward hadthe least allocation
with only one (1) healthcare facility that is (2.04%). Soba Ward have the highest population
with 50,917 people but only had 5 HCFs while Turawa with 32,982 people have 8 HCFs.
Danwata ward with population of 33,069 people which is higher than Turawa ward have only
1 functional HCF. From the result, it is clear that Turawa ward is well served with health
facilities with a population ratio of 1:4,123. This could be attributed to fact that, Turawa is
more centrally located than the other wards and also have road connectivity with the
neighbouring ward. The equipment available in the health care facilities are mostly basic
diagnostic (blood pressure monitor, thermometer), break room appliances (refrigerators and
freezers), body weight scale, protective equipment (hand gloves, eye wears and face marks),
sharp containers, stainless steel equipment. It is therefore, recommended that, Government
should speed up efforts in renovating, building and equipping more health facilities especially
in largely rural districts where the availability of these facilities is either low or non-existent.
In the short-term where the facilities are available but in poor condition, government can
mobilize funds to renovate and equip these facilities.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE
STUDIES AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN
REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT,
FACULTY OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
SPATIAL ANALYSIS,, HEALTH CARE FACILITIES,, SOBA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA,, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA