ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF MILLENNIUM VILLAGES PROJECT INTERVENTION ON PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IN PAMPAIDA, IKARA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA KADUNA STATE

Abstract

Primary Health Care is an integral and fundamental part of the health system in Nigeria. It is  basically concerned with improving the health system of local communities. PHC addresses the  majority of a person’s health needs throughout their lifetime. This includes physical, mental and  social well-being and it is people-centred rather than disease-centred. The study Assessed the  Contribution of Millennium Villages Project (MVP) on Primary Health Care in Pampaida, Ikara  LGA of Kaduna State. The aim of the MVP is to demonstrate that progress towards the achievement  of the MDGs in low-income rural sub-Saharan Africa villages can be made over a ten year time  frame by promoting a comprehensive package of low cost, science-based interventions in health and  practices within the budget structure recommended by the UN Millennium Project. One proposition  was postulated to guide the study. The study being a qualitative research employed interview, focus  group discussion and observation to obtain primary data necessary for the study. Secondary data  was derived from the MVP Information Pack, 2009. The Citizen Participation theory was used to  lend credence on how different the project is compared to other developmental project. As a result  of the study, we found out that MVP intervention recorded success in Pampaida by constructing  health centres, provision of health facilities, and reduction in maternal mortality as well as child  mortality. PHC in Pampaida is currently beset by inadequate drugs, inadequate medical personnel  as well as lack of maintenance of the project structures and facilities. In the light of these myriads of challenges, we recommend among other things that; there must be collaboration between the  state government, local government and the local community to ensure sustainability of these  projects. This will be by incorporating and apportioning financial resources of these projects into  the annual budget of the state. This will include maintenance of structures and facilities of PHC,  provision of drugs in the clinic, as well as deployment of qualified medical personnel in Pampaida.  We also recommend that regular supervision and monitoring of medical personnel should be  conducted to check the excesses of workers as well necessary sanctions for erring workers