Accessibility of Health Services in the South Eastern Nigeria: The Way Forward

Abstract

This paper examined the accessibility of healthcare services to the people in the South Eastern Nigeria. The reason behind the study is to assess how the people make timely use of the health services according to their need. This is related to physical distance and travel time from service delivery point to the user and also how the healthcare services are able to cover the population of the study area. Data used were obtained from National Bureau of Statistics and the population commission. Data revealed that there are more privately owned health facilities in the area. It also revealed that the total number of hospitals (government, private and community owned hospitals put together do not adequately cover the population of the area they are meant to cover. These inadequate health facilities have implications for the total health status and wellbeing of the indigenes of the south east. Recommendations were made on how to tackle this inadequacy if the millennium development goals will be realised.