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Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Enugu State District Health System by Public Primary Health Care Workers

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Author Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Community Medicine, Enugu State University College of Medicine, Park Lane, Enugu, NIGERIA
  • 2 Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, NIGERIA
  • 3 Department of Community Medicine, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Park Lane, Enugu, NIGERIA
  • 4 Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, NIGERIA

Int. Res. J. Medical Sci., Volume 3, Issue (4), Pages 1-10, April,28 (2015)

Abstract

The District Health System (DHS) provides the best chances of implementing primary health care as laid down in the declaration of Alma-Ata in 1978. In December 2003, Enugu state, Nigeria made a decision that the healthcare system will operate a District Health System with a unitarised healthcare delivery structure based on 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 39 LGA Development Centers. After the adoption of DHS by the state Government, Partnership for Transforming Health Systems (PATHS) effectively commenced providing essential technical support for the development and implementation of the DHS. The objective of this research is to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the district health system being implemented in Enugu state, by primary health care facility workers. Observational study, employing Cross-sectional study technique was the study design. Analysis was done in terms of percentage of health workers with the correct knowledge of district health system; and the right attitudes and practices of the Enugu state district health system. Scores were assigned to the response, and scores above 50% were considered adequate. Overall knowledge level of 72.7% was recorded on the supported health facilities, while 54.5% was recorded in the non-supported facilities. One hundred and forty two (98.7%) respondents from the supported facilities have right attitudes to the Enugu state DHS, while 93.7% have the right attitudes in the non-supported facilities. Over 60% of respondents from both the supported and non-supported facilities had the right practices to most of the provisions of the Enugu state DHS. Some of these provisions are; correct DRF practice, integrated supportive supervision, provision of basic obstetrics services, and existence of facility health committee. However, some provisions such as staff posting, discipline, promotion, recruitment and quality recognition initiative were poorly practiced.

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