The State of Primary Health Care Facilities in Nigeria: A review of the Plateau State Position

Abstract

Adequate Healthcare facilities have been identified as a major aspect of efficient service delivery and development in the health system of any developed country, its role in the overall health system cannot be over emphasized. Through a desk review, this paper laid emphasis on the state PHC facilities in Plateau State Nigeria following the provision of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) on the Minimum Standards for Primary Health Care in Nigeria. The study reviewed the ease of accessing PHC facilities and the state of the infrastructural facilities. Findings showed that there are challenges with access roads to the PHCs, basic healthcare facilities and the likes. It also indicated that the available healthcare facilities are grossly inadequate and their distribution depicts serious inequality. The study concluded that there is an urgent need for serious intervention on the part of the government in the provision of healthcare facilities through a new national policy framework, such as the introduction of autonomous primary healthcare boards in Nigeria.