Service-specific Readiness for Hypertension and Diabetes Care and Its Related Factors in Primary Health Facilities in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria: A Comparative Service Availability and Readiness Assessment Study

Abstract

Background: According to the global action plan of the World Health Organization (WHO), private and public health facilities (HFs) must possess at least 80% of affordable basic technologies and essential medicines to tackle the rising burden of hypertension and diabetes (H and D) globally. Literature regarding the realisation of this target is scarce in resource-poor settings like Nigeria. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess and compare the service-specific readiness for H and D care in selected urban and rural primary health-care (PHC) facilities in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The WHO’s service availability and readiness assessment tool was adapted and deployed to assess readiness for H and D care in 214 PHCs randomly sampled from the entire 426 government-owned PHCs in the state. Results: A total of 214 PHCs were surveyed (urban, 51.4%). Overall, more urban than rural PHCs had essential drugs (4.8% vs. 0.9%), laboratory equipment (81.7% vs. 76.4%), and were ready for H and D care (23% vs. 11%). Availability of drug-revolving funds (odds ratio [OR] = 4.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03–1.12) and the number of health workers (OR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.03–1.33) were significantly associated with readiness. Conclusion: The level of readiness for H and D care was low in both urban and rural primary HFs. The correlates found to be associated with the readiness for H and D care are the availability of drug-revolving funds and the number of health workers.

Keywords

• basic health equipment
• diabetes
• essential medicines
• hypertension
• readiness