Assessment of the Accessibility of Healthcare Facilities in Bwari Area Council, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to compile an inventory of healthcare facilities, personnel, service delivery, distribution, and accessibility in Bwari Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria using appropriate standard procedures including using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Data obtained identified 87 healthcare facilities, including 64 primary and 23 secondary care centers, revealing a distribution where 42.5% are privately owned and 57.5% are government operated. A multi-criteria decision analysis was carried out which identified approximately 42 square kilometers of land as highly suitable for the provision of new secondary healthcare facilities. The Population-to-facility ratios were found to comply with WHO guidelines for primary healthcare, but all wards, except Usuma, failed to meet the standard ratio of one physician per 1,000 residents, and none fulfilled the nurse/midwife ratio of one per 250 residents. Additionally, only Usuma and Bwari central achieved the global average of 2.3 hospital beds per 1,000 individuals. This research highlights the need for improved healthcare accessibility in Bwari Area Council and recommended the establishment of more low-cost secondary healthcare facilities, considering population needs, and hiring more qualified healthcare personnel to enhance service delivery.