The impact of administrative decentralization on local level health care availability: A study of health care delivery in Imo State of Nigeria

Type Thesis

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Summary

Nigeria received its independence from Great Britain in 1960. In order to consolidate power among the multi-tribal systems of Nigeria, authority to make policy decision was concentrated at the federal level. The local level only implemented policy concerns of the national government while the needs of the regional and local levels were not addressed. This led to the deterioration of social conditions at the local level. The people that suffered most were the rural residents who were forced to live without adequate social services. This was evident in the deplorable health conditions and lack of institutions to provide needed care at the local level. In 1976, the federal government implemented a decentralized health care service system through the Primary Health Care concept. Since decentralization calls for local participation in the policy making process, the purpose of this study was to find out to what extent the local people actually participate in the policy making process. A survey was conducted in Imo State in 1989 to collect data for the study. Crosstabulation was used in the data analysis, the findings showed that decentralization has neither promoted participation nor improved health conditions at the local level.