THE STUDY OF HEALTH PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA PRIMARY SCHOOL

ABSTRACT

          This study was carried out to investigate the study of health problem in Nigeria primary school. Good health is very important not only for children and families but also for good health later in adulthood because without good health that individual will lose his life (die). Food is very essential in health of children, a child that doesn’t feed well cannot have good health that mean feed a child with balance diet. The findings show that the main causes of poor health condition of a child are disease, improper diet, injury, mental stress, lacy of hygiene, unhealthy lifestyle, poverty, low income per capital earn of parent, poor environment condition, sanitary facilities etc. influence in the health condition of children in school. Many factors affect health of individual and communities whether people or children are healthy or not are determined by their circumstances and environment. This research find solution to some of the problem affecting the health of primary school pupils in Nigeria: firstly, the school authority should provide a good and well conducive environment for the pupils, the pupils should be feed with proper diet and they should provide good toilet facilities like water in most school. The parent and school should create time to rest for the pupils because stress is not respecter of any person.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0    INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Health is a vital issue that can never be sidelined in every human life. Nigeria’s health care delivery system consists of a network of primary, secondary and tertiary facilities. As at 1992, according to Encyclopedia of the Nation Africa Nigeria primary car was largely, provided through approximately 4,000. Health clinics and dispensaries scattered throughout the country and for the secondary care, there were about 700 health centres and 1,670 maternity centres. Tertiary care was handled thorough University Teaching Hospitals and FMCs throughout Nigeria.

According to Encyclopedia of the Nation Africa Nigeria, although, as at 1999 there were estimates physicians and hospital beds per 1000 people. The lack of proper facilities and inadequate remuneration of public sector. The country is in need of medical supplies and equipment some pharmaceuticals are manufactured in Nigeria. In 2000, 57% of population access to safe drinking water and 43% had adequate sanitation. In Nigeria the primary and secondary Health Care lacks proper facilities and equipment. If any case goes beyond the ability of primary and secondary health care it will now be transferred to the primary Health care where there are better equipment and facilities to take proper care of people.

In other word, secondary Health care providing patient and in patient services in general medicals surgical, pediatric and community health service secondary health care is available at the districts and zonal level of the state. Adequate support service such as laboratory, diagnostic, blood bank rehabilitation and physiotherapy are provided. The tertiary health care, this level consist of highly specialized service provided by teaching hospital and other specialist hospital which provide care for specific disease such as orthopaedic, eye psychiatric, maternity and pediatric cases and availability services. Also appropriate support services are incorporated into the development of these tertiary facilities to provide effective referred service, similarly, selected centered are encouraged to develop special expertise in advantage modern technology to serve as a resources for evaluating and adapting this new development in the contact of local needs and opportunities.

Children represent future generation of the society. Ensuring their healthy growth and development ought to be a prime concern of all societies. Newborns are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition and infections of diseases, many which can be effectively prevented or treated. Eating a variety of healthy food is the key to well balanced diet and good nutrition. It keeps the body working well and helps prevent diseases. A healthy child is one who eats balanced diet and those not need multi – vitamins to stimulate the child to eat more.

History reveals that there has never been a common definition of health. However, a study of Sterritis (1978) revealed a study three most definitions are:

First, it is the quality of life involving dynamic interaction and interdependence among individual: physical well – being mental and emotional reactions and the social complex in which individual exists.

Secondly, it is the ability of individuals to interact effectively, physically, psychologically and socially with the environment in which that individual and society function.

Thirdly, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well – being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Health is a major in man’s existence and without good health productivity in whatever sphere of activity is at its lowest ebb i.e. to become gradually weather less. Therefore according to oxford dictionary, health is the condition of a person’s body or mind both physical and mental. Therefore the study of health problem in Nigeria school is very important because it make the teacher to know the health condition of the pupils so as to enhance learning and boost teaching.

          However, the effect of child good and had health for school. A child that is having good health eat very well, drink more water, eat organic, and eat more raw food drink some fresh fruit. The effect of under nutrition on young children (age 0 – 8) can be devastating and enduring. It can impede behavioural and cognitive development, educability and reproductive health, thereby undermine future work productivity. Since growth failure occurs almost exclusively during the intrauterine period and in the first two years of life preventing stunting therefore cal for interventions, which focus on the very young whether or not children are well – nourished during the first year of life status, as well as the ability to learn communicated, think analytically, socialize effectively and adopt to new environment and people. Good nutrition is the first line of defence against numerous childhood diseases which can leave their mark on a child for life in the area cognitive development “when there isn’t enough food the body has to make a decision about how to invest the limited foodstuffs available survival comes first growth came second. In nutritional triage, the body seems obliged to raking learning last better to stupid and alive then smart and deed” (By Sagan and Druyan). A child with good will perform well in the classroom and have the ability to study hard both in Affective, cognitive and psychomotor. But when a child is in bad health positive the academic performance will be poor the enrolment of the school will decrease.

Therefore the measuring influences on children health, a comprehensive system to monitor children’s health would contain in inclusive, continuing assessment and monitoring of the rang of influence on children range of influence on children’s health, including children’s biology and behaviour, social environments (family, community, culture and discrimination) physical environments and service and policy contexts development of such a system require careful long – term consideration of which influences are important, how there are measured. Children health has clearly improved over the past several decades significant and positive gains have been made in lowering rates of infant mortality and mobility from infectious diseases and accidental causes, improved access to health care and reduction in the environment contaminants such as lead. Yet major question still remain about how to assess the status of children health. The children’s health and the nation’s wealth. Assessing and improving child, health providing a detailed examination of the information about children’s health that is needed to help policy makers and program providers at the federal, state and local levels. In order to improve children’s health and thus, the health of future generation. It is critical to have data that can be used to assess both condition and possible future. The factor as biological measures of health and genes. A child’s current health as reflected in his/her level of immunity or level of cortisone/production may also serve as a valuable indication of biological susceptibility by the NATIONAL ACADMICS PRESS (NAP)

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

          It has been observed that many health problems confront the affairs of the primary school pupils which are:

1.   How can we reduce health problem in Nigeria?

2.   What are the problems facing primary health care centre?

3.   What are the things to prevent child health?

4.   In what way can the child health affect the school? and

5.   How did school teach pupils how to promote and protect his/her own health?

1.3    PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This project intends to examine the health problem in Nigeria primary school, this will be enhancing the society the awareness of the pupils’ good health.

1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          The outcome of this research will be a great important to all Nigeria Primary school teachers, parents and guidance in the society.

1.5    RESSEARCH QUESTION

          This section will formulate ad work out some pertinent research question which will help in focusing attend on with regards to future steps to take such as in the design, of the questionnaire and the formulation of hypothesis some of question are:

1.   What are the factor affecting the pupils health in Nigeria?

2.   What are the causes of health problem in Nigeria?

3.   How can a child eat balanced diet?

4.   What should government do to promote good health in the economic? and

5.   Should children with poor health be separated from those with good health?

1.6    RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

          Based of the stated the following hypothesis are developed for testing in the study

·         There many factors affecting the health of the pupils there are heredity; growth and development, the physical environment, biological factor, social factor and education.

·         Cause of health problem in Nigeria lack of feeding, poverty, lack of food production.

·         A child can take in balanced diet by eating variety of healthy food.

·         The government should give the public health education.

·         Children with poor health problem should not be segregate from health like visual impairment, hear impairment e.t.c.

1.7    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

          The scope of this study is limited to Nigeria. It will be however too wide to examine all the health problem facing children in Nigeria, there to concentrate my study on some particular place.

1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS

HEALTH: This is the state of complete physical, mental, emotional and social well being of individual.

EBB: This is to become gradually weaker or less

DISGUST: A very strong feeling of dislike that almost make sick caused by something unpleasant.

PROCUREMENT: This is the process of obtaining supplies of something, especially for a government or organization.

PHARMACENTICAL: These are people connected with making and selling drugs.

PHYSIOTHERAPY: This means physical therapy  is a treatment of disease, injury or weakness in the joints or muscles by exercises, message and the light and heat.

REHABILITATION: This is to help someone to have a normal, useful life again after they have been very ill/sick or in prison for a long time.