Access and utilisation of Primary Health Care facilities in Peri-Urban Communities of Ibeju-Lekki, Local Government Area of Lagos, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/Keywords:
Access, adequacy, peri-urban communities, primary health care and service satisfaction, utilisationAbstract
This study investigates the access to and utilisation of Primary Health Care (PHC) services in peri-urban communities of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, Lagos State, Nigeria. PHC is vital in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), particularly in low and middle-income countries. The study adopted a survey design and collected data from 200 respondents using structured questionnaires supported by spatial mapping through ArcGIS. Descriptive statistics and the Relative Importance Index (RII) were used to analyse the data. Findings reveal high awareness (68.9%) and utilisation (93.4%) of PHC services among residents, particularly for child healthcare. 51.3% of respondents described PHC centres as very accessible, while 68.9% rated them as adequate. The most valued aspect of PHC service delivery was the friendliness of health workers (RII = 0.873), followed by effective child healthcare services and respectful treatment. However, long waiting times (RII = 0.510), distance from home (RII = 0.482), and high drug costs (RII = 0.476) were identified as key challenges. These results highlight the critical role of interpersonal care in promoting service uptake but also point to persistent access barriers. Addressing these challenges through investment in infrastructure, staff recruitment, and community outreach can enhance the performance of PHC, UHC, and the sustainable development goals.
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