ANALYZING HEALTH CARE COST FROM BIRTH TO DEATH (A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER OWERRI)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Health to every nation is as important as the economy of the nation; this is because the health of every nation is her wealth. A healthy workforce would replicate in its output in its productivity, Nigeria being one of the developing nations cannot be an exception.

 HIV/AIDS, maternal mortality, under-5 mortality, malaria, and tuberculosis have undermined development and impoverished West African developing countries such as Nigeria. Nonetheless, it has been enunciated that the pursuit of better health care system should not be a problem for an improved economy.The way a country runs its health care system is a key prerequisite to the health of its citizenry.Selection of an adequate and efficient method of health care cost from birth to death is essential if a country is set to achieve its national health objective of providing health for all.

A health care cost from birth to death system involves the means in which health costs are computed and analyzed. In fact, most health centers, hospitals or health research organizations in Nigeria place little or no emphasis on the cost of health care.An effective and efficient record keeping of health care cost from birth to death by hospitals and research centers would be of immense benefit both to the citizenry and her government.

1. Statement of the general problem

The lack of proper documentation of health care cost from birth to death has been a major problem confronting our socio economic development and most importantly our health sector. Inadequate planning has been a re occurring decimal in our health sector.The in ability of government to structure a far reaching health policy for its citizenry has been as a result of lack of proper documentation of health care cost from birth to death

Objectives of the study

The following are the aims and objectives of this study

• To analyze the health care cost from birth to death
• To know if health care is readily available for Nigerians.
• To examine the quality of health care received by Nigerians.
• To examine the quality of Nigerian health care delivery centers.
• To recommend ways of improving health care delivery.

Research Questions

• Is health care readily available for Nigerians?
• What is the quality of health care received by Nigerians?
• Is quality health care costly for Nigerians?
• What is the state of Nigerians health care centers?

Research Hypothesis

H0: Health care cost from birth to death does not significantly affect the health sector.

H1: Health care cost from birth to death significantly affects the health sector.

Significance of the study

This study would help the government in knowing the through condition of our health care centers. It would also help the government in their health care policy formation.

Scope of the study

This study is on the analysis of health care cost from birth to death with the federal medical center owerri serving as the case study.

Limitation of the study

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.