Benue State University, Makurdi

ACCESS AND UTILISATION OF MATERNAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN GBOKO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE, NIGERIA.

Mzuami Priscilla Ikyenge & Mpem, Terungwa PhD
Department of Sociology,
Benue State University,
Makurdi.

Abstract

Pregnant women lack access to affordable and effective ante natal and post natal care services. Even when these services are available, social cultural and economic factors impede them from accessing these facilities, the consequences of this is maternal death resulting from complications from pregnancy and delivery. This study examines women access to ante-natal and post-natal care service in Gboko Local Government area of Benue state. The following objectives were formulated for the study, to determine availability of Ante-natal and postnatal care services in the study area, to determine women's access to antenatal and post natal care services in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue state. The sample size was calculated with resource to Cochran's (1977) sample side determination for unknown population. Data was collected from 440 respondents. The study revealed that there are quite a number of health care facilities found in Gboko Local Government Area that offer ante natal and post natal healthcare service, both in the urban and rural areas. The study also revealed that most of the respondents were unable to access maternal health care services because of distance, refusal by husbands and lack of needed funds to pay for hospital bills and transportation. The study further revealed that most of the respondents patronize traditional medicine and birth attendants. The study recommends that state and Local Government should build and maintain more maternal health care centres in the rural areas of the study area to ensure more access to maternal health care to women. The study also recommend that a better orientation should be given to men especially those in the rural areas, by the Government and NGOs, through Radio massages, religious gatherings, town meetings and local market square to allow their women attend maternal health care services.

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