The Place of Politics in Social Protection Program: Focus on Infant and Maternal Health Care Delivery in Akure, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examines the place of politics in infant and maternal health care delivery in Akure. To achieve this, the following objectives were made: assess the magnitude of infant birth and death as well as maternal death in the study area from 2003-2017, identify the causes of infant and maternal death in Akure, examine the relationship between politics and infant and maternal health care through policies and programmes instituted by various administrations and identify challenges facing infant and maternal health care delivery in Akure. To successfully capture these objectives, two governments owned hospitals (Mother and Child Hospital and Ondo State Specialist Hospital Akure) were selected for the administration of questionnaires. In all, eighty (80) women that have made use of the hospitals during pregnancy and child care stage were randomly and purposefully selected from the record file of the hospitals for the purpose of questionnaire administration. Likewise, the Chief Medical Directors of the two hospitals were interviewed. Data obtained were collated and presented using the descriptive statistical method. Findings revealed the policies, programmes, and accomplishments of successive governments of Ondo State from 2003-2017. The study recommends that successive government at all levels irrespective of political or party affiliation should make infant and maternal health care free most especially to the poor and the vulnerable group in the society.