Spatial Distribution of Public Health Centers and Access to Health Facilities in Gambella Town, Ethiopia
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Date
2019-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Inequity in the distribution of the public health centers and access to health facilities has observed in Gambella town. The general objective of the study is to assess the spatial distribution of public health center and access to health facilities in Gambella Town.It has explained the cause of spatial inequality and described the distribution as well as accessibility of health facilities and their areas services in five kebele in the Town. The study used mixed method where both qualitative and quantitative data were used. The collection of data was through questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Convenience sampling technique was used as the main criteria for selection. The population for this study was 813 in Gambella town from which the researcher extracted a sample of 268 from the total population. The study revealed that public health-centers are not sufficient and unevenly distributed. Most parts of the town have no health-centers and some parts have only health posts, which are even not active. Meanwhile, in Gambella town the problem of road has been identified among the major priority issues as the city has expanded beyond its level. Efforts to construct urban road transport can provide access and facilitates interaction as well as integration of segregated urban spatial units. More generally, the important role of services in the town, it is important to consider services efforts in the urban planning process.The finding ascribed that lack of concern given by those in authority to provide public services based on population living in the town, lack of self initiative by communities, less surveying, and repeated political conflict between two major ethnic groups (Nuer and Anywa) tend to cause inequality in the distribution of public health-center and access to health facilities in the Gambella town. Based on these findings, to overcome these problems due concern to the provision of health services has to be given, town survey has to be in place, immediate reconciliation, further studies, expansion of health infrastructure, equal allocation of funds and health centers, corruption reduction, the demand of the local population and follow up has been recommended to the solution.
Keywords: Spatial, Distribution, Health facilities, Access.
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Keywords
Spatial, Distribution, Health facilities, Access.