EVALUATION OF MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES IN ENUGU NORTH SENATORIAL ZONE OF ENUGU STATE.
ABSTRACT
The study evaluated maternal and child health services (MCHS) in Enugu North Senatorial zone of Enugu State. The research design was an evaluative research design. The population of study comprised 400 mothers of childbearing age and 40 health care personnel in 2 district hospitals in the study area. Through convenience sampling technique, 320 mothers were sampled while the 40 health care personnel were purposively sampled. Six research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. Self-structured questionnaires (MCHSPQ and MCHSCQ) were instruments for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using means scores and percentages and t-test was used to test the null hypotheses. A criterion means score of 2.5 was used to calculate the means, while 60% was the cut off percentage to determine availability. The findings revealed that majority of the maternal and child health objectives were achieved and that there were inadequate human and material resources for MCHS; mothers expressed their satisfaction with the general conduct of MCHS, except the long waiting time; and there was low utilization of the components of maternal and child health services. Based on the findings, it was recommended that evaluation indicators should be established in district hospitals, enough human and material resources provided and much awareness about MCHS created.