Health Service in Post Primary Schools in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State

Abstract

Health service is to be implemented under its guidelines in the school health programme
of Nigeria. However, observations reveal some cases of ill health and absence due to
health condition among students and teachers. The study was therefore, initiated to
assess the extent of implementation of health services in terms of availability, adequate
number and functionality of its components in post primary schools in Egor Local
Government Area, Edo State. Five research questions and two hypotheses verified at .05
alpha level were addressed. A descriptive survey involving observation which followed
documentation with a checklist was used to assess 256 post primary schools based on
availability. Consequent upon available component, a sample size of 165 of the schools
were involved in assessing the level of implementation based on adequate number and
functionality. Results indicated that all components of health service except health officers
were available in many of the schools visited. All, but health centre, were not only
inadequate in number but non-functional. Consequently, it was recommended that
government should make adequate number of health officers available through training
and re-training to be responsible for putting policy relating to health service into action in
post primary schools in Edo State.

Keywords: Adequate number, Availability, Functionality, Health service,
Implementation