THE PLACE OF MEDIA IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF RURAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN NIGERIA

(A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIAN TELEVISION AUTHORITY (N.T.A) ENUGU)

ABSTRACT

 

          In this study, the researcher x rayed the place of the media in the improvement of rural health care services in Nigeria.  Towards this, end 74 staffs of N.T.A Enugu were randomly selected to form the study sample.   The 74 members of the study sample were given 74 copies of structured questionnaires to complete.  The analysis of their responses revealed the following findings:

1. The mass media plays landable roles in the improvement of rural health care services in Nigeria. Some of these roles includes.
2. Sensitizing the rural populace to appreciate and participate actively in government health programmes and projects such as immunization programmes, environmental sanitation programmes, and so on.]

• Mobilizing the masses (rural dwellers) to take positive action towards health improvement.

1. Informing the government on the poor state of health in the rural areas.
2. The role of the media as regards rural health care delivery will be further enhanced through appropriate government support in terms of sponsorship of health programmes, provision of necessary infrastructure, etc.

CHAPTER ONE

• Background of the Study
• Statement of Problems
• Objectives of the Study
• Research Questions
• Significances of the Study
• Scope and Delimitation of the Study

CHAPTER TWO

          Literature Review

• Geography
  • Demography and Vital Study
  • Socio-economic Characteristics
  • General Education
  • Environmental Characteristics

CHAPTER THREE:    RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• Research Design
• Area of Study
• Population of study
• Sample Size and Sampling
• Instrument for Data Collection
• Validity of the Instruct
• Method of Data Collection
• Method of Data Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

          Data Analysis and Result

• Data Analysis

CHAPTER FIVE:        DISCUSSION OF RESULT

• Discussion of Findings
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Limitation of the Study

References

Appendices

CHAPTER ONE

 

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          The improvement of the rural health care services is one of the cardinal objectives of the Nigerian government since the nations independence.  In suggesting a plan or a design for a health care system of the rural area in Nigeria, government planners are ever conscious of a feeling that they are working “in vacuo”.  His is due to the lack of extensive and detailed factual information as regards the state of the existing health care services in these areas (Ndubuisi, 2001).

Health care services need not only have relevance to the needs of the communities they are designed to serve, but should also be with the resources of the states of the nation concerned. Hence it would be to assume the existence of adequate financial support, manpower of various kinds and physical facilities, including equipment and suppliers. In addition.  It would be illogical to ignore the existing administrative and operational structures, which will to ensure adequate and timely logistic support.  (Aneke, 1999).

It is almost impossible to design a system of health care service which is applicable to every rural areas in Nigeria in view of the different socio-economic conditions. E ach state or local governments thus have to assess the available alternatives, consider its own problems and then decide on priorities and organization. This assessment may result in changing or modifying an existing system or even evolving new concepts.

It is, however, important to stage that Nigeria is developing rapidly and modernizing at the same time, and it should be realized fully that health care can help or hinder such process.  Health care services in Nigeria are very inadequate and disease is an ever present treat to the efficiency of the population.  This threat is nowhere more glaring than in the rural areas, where very little has been done to ascertain the rural needs of the people and to plan to meet them with available resources (Okeke, 2000).  Expenditure on health in Nigeria has therefore, so far failed to cover the essential actions necessary to provide for the basic health needs of the greater proportion of the people.

The objective of any system is usually to provide basic health care to the rural areas of Nigeria where more than 70 percent of the people lives, so that care is available to all the people all the time and as near as possible to their homes. This is done within the resources available to the state and local governments of Nigeria and in their socio-economic context, with a view to promoting the principles on which the World Health Organization (WHO) is founded.  These principles, according to Nzewi (2001) are as follows:

–        Health is a state of complete physical mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

–        The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.

–        The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent upon the fullest co-operation of individuals and states;

–        The achievement of any state in the promotion and protection of health is of value to all;

–        Unequal development in different countries in the promotion of health and control of disease, especially communicable disease, is a common danger;

–        Health development of the child is of basic importance, the ability to live harmoniously in a changing total environment is essential to such development;

–        The extension to all peoples of the benefits of medical psychological and related knowledge to the fullest attainable standard of health;

–        Informed opinion and active co-operation on the part of the public are of utmost importance in the improvement of the health of the people’

–        Governments have a responsibility of the health of their people which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures.

The desire to improve the health care services as well as to disseminate information to the masses on the attitudes that guarantee health living in Nigeria had made the government to recognize the importance of the mass media on the promotion of health care services.  In this regard, the media had been widely used in health campaigns across the country.  Some of the most popular of such campaigns in recent times are the Roll Back Malaria Programme, Immunization Programme, family Health programme and the oral Relydration Theraph (ORT).  These campaigns were successfully carried out through the mass media (Agu, 2000). In addition, during these campaigns, the media was used for highlighting the major health hazard and to suggest the strategies for amehorating the health conditions of the rural peoples. In other words, the mass media was used to present the health problems of the rural people and possible solutions in easily understood terms and forms.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

          The improvement of the rural health services is among of the policy trusts of the Nigerian government.   In fulfilling this objective, there is a due need to provide adequate information as well as to sensitize the rural dwellers towards utilizing the available health care service being provided by the government.  The desire to achieve this objectives had made the mass media a very potent tool particularly in this period of democratic government.

The previous administrations had fail as to allow the media to fulfill their roles in rural health care.  Despite the fact that Nigeria is presently enjoying a democratic governance, the media was not actually given the necessary support and attention that will enable them perform their roles as the vanguard of rural health care improvement.  What actually are the roles of the mass media on the improvement of rural health care services?  What are the factors that prevent the media in the fulfillment of these roles?  What are the strategies for making the mass media more effective in the crusade for the improvement of rural health care services?

These questions present the problems that made this investigation a necessity.

 

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

          The objectives of this research are as follows:

1. To examine the roles of media in the improvement of rural health care services in Nigeria.
2. To identify those factors that prevent the media from fulfilling these roles.

• To suggest the strategies for enhancing the efforts of the mass media in the crusade for the improvement of the rural health care services.

 

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

          This study will be guided by the following research questions;

1. What are the roles of the mass media in the improvement of rural health care services in Nigeria?
2. What are those factors that prevent the media from fulfilling these roles?

• What are the strategies for enhancing the efforts of the mass media in the crusade of the improvement of rural health care services in Nigeria?

 

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          The findings and recommendations to be made in this study, if implemented will improve the activities of the media in the area of improving rural health care services.  This they (the media) will do by attracting health improvement programmes to the rural areas through the dissemination of vital health information to both the government and the masses.

Nigerians in general will also benefit from this research.  This is because the improvement of the health care services at the rural areas will make positive impact in their lives since more than 80 percent of them live in the rural areas.  Since a healthy nation is a wealthy nation, the implementation of the findings of this study will help to build a strong, virile and self – reliant nation that would be envied by other nations.

 

1.6     SCOPE OF DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

          The scope of this study borders on the media and it s contributions to the improvement of rural health care services.  This scope of the study equally extended the borderline to include the characteristics of the rural areas.  This research is limited to the staff of the Nigerian Television Authority (N.T.A) Enugu.

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