The socio-cultural factors affecting health care delivery in Nigeria.

Abstract

Health care delivery in Nigeria is obstructed by the traditional attitudes of the rural poor which inhibits their use of existing facilities. To the Yorubas of southwestern Nigeria diseases are caused by intervention of the magician or sorcerer or breach of taboos and vengeance of spirits. They are not inclined to take cases to the hospital. Older people are less inclined to patronize modern health facilities than the young. Certain practices such as tongue feeding female circumcisions nursing of motherless babies by elderly relatives keeping of fattening houses and applying drug powders to the cut cord create health problems. Extreme poverty contributes to the Nigerians situation and living standards need to be improved. Education in terms of personal and public hygiene would also alleviate many problems.