Primary Health Care is an inclusive approach to promoting health and well-being that prioritizes the
needs and preferences of individuals, families, and communities. It addresses various factors influencing health and focuses on comprehensive aspects of physical, mental, and social well-being. The objective of this study was to identify the challenges in managing common childhood illnesses among primary healthcare providers in Sabon-Gari local government area, Kaduna State. The study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design, involving all twenty-ve healthcare workers in the primary healthcare center. Data was collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.78 Cronbach’s alpha. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used to analyze the data, employing measures such as frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviation, and Chi-square. Among the respondents, 9 (36.0%) were in the age range of 36-40 years, and 17 (68.0%) were females. Approximately 12 (48.0%) had 6-10 years of experience in managing childhood illnesses, while only 1 (4.0%) had over 10 years of experience. The study observed that the respondents possessed knowledge about common childhood illnesses (64.5%). The identified challenges in managing common childhood illnesses among primary healthcare providers included insufficient financial resources (2.6), incomplete assessment of children’s signs and symptoms (2.6), incorrect diagnosis and treatment of potentially life-threatening illnesses (3.1), failure to refer severely ill children for hospitalization (2.6), lack of supervision from the local government area (2.6), lack of feedback for supervision (3.1), unavailability of referral forms (3.1), and inadequate staffing during the afternoon shift (3.1). To enhance the management of childhood illnesses in the health facility, it is recommended that the local government area employ more healthcare workers specializing in public health nursing.
- UMAR | JAMILA | . | @ | +234, BALARABE | FATIMA | . | @ | +234, AHMAD | UMAR | A. | abuayoub02@gmail.com, | 08037040253
- Challenges, childhood illness, Primary Health Care, providers
- JAMILA UMAR FATIMA BALARABE AHMAD A UMAR
