Spatial Distribution Of Primary Healthcare Facilities In Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Distribution of health care facilities in many developing nations has been observed to be politically biased, such that sume areas are over serviced at the expense of other areas.This study examined spatial distribution and accessibility of primary healthcare facilities in Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, Akwa lbom State. Data from official records of government establishments were obtained while field observations in 16 communities were carried out using spatial sampling framework. The data obtained were analyzed using locational quotient technique. The result indicates that ubout 30% of the wards were disadvantaged in the distribution of primary healthcare facilities, with locational quouients of less than 1.00 while 20% recorded total lack of primary healthcare facilities with a locational quotient of zero.On the whole, 50% of the wards had more than a fair share of the facilities with locational quotients greater than 1.00. The study concludes that there is strong empirical evidence in the data set to show that facilities within the study area are not evenly distributed. The study recommends the maintenance of existing facilities as well as provision of new ones in the areas nol served by existing ones as a panacea for increased accessibility among the population in the study area.