The Use of Selected Interventions in Monitoring Primary Health Care Implementation in Rural Nigeria

Nigeria's Primary Health Care (PHC)-based health system development aims to strengthen PHC in the local government areas (LGA) through technical planning and implementation that emphasize maternal and child health services. Convenient variables, including expanded programme on immunization (EPI), antenatal care (ANC) utilization and attended births, were selected as interventions to monitor the progress of implementation of PHC activities during 1985-90 in Odukpani LGA. Analysis of available data at the LGA showed that immunization coverage for most EPI antigens increased; ANC services showed increased utilization; health worker-attended births increased as traditional birth deliveries declined during the period. Some of the increases were modest but are considered important. The study offers a pilot approach to monitoring implementation of PHC activities in Odukpani LGA. The implications of the findings for similar studies are discussed.