Assessing the Role of Primary Health Care in the Prevention of Maternal Mortality in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the role of primary health care in the prevention of maternal mortality in Oredo Local Government Area. The study used survey research design. The population of the study was 2,104 women who attended antenatal care in the study area. The sample size for the study was 383 women within the reproductive age of 15-49 years and who were users of primary health care centres in Oredo Local Government Area. The simple random sampling and convenient sampling techniques were variously applied in this study at different stages. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire made up of both open and closed ended questions and were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage distribution were used to present the data in tabular form. The finding of the study further reveal that primary health care still plays a significant role in the prevention of maternal death in the study area in particular and Nigeria in general. Based on the finding, the study recommends among others that government should provide health insurance policy for pregnant women on antenatal to further attract them to seek medical and maternal care from primary health care centres in their locality.