A GIS-BASED MULTI-CRITERIA ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH FACILITIES DISTRIBUTION IN BUKURU TOWN, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

MCDA has been integrated with GIS for effective decision making with wide application including participatory design to develop (public) health decision support systems, making good decision in healthcare, environmental health among several others. Hence, this research applied multi criteria analysis in assessing the distribution of health facilities in Bukuru town. The study adopted Open Data Kit (ODK) app in obtaining information, questionnaire administration, and health facilities inventory from the Plateau State Ministry of Health and Field Survey. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used in the health location analysis and the criteria levels of importance were weighted using Sa’aty’s scale. Data on the location of health facilities were imported into ArcGIS for analysis while data from questionnaires were analysed using Microsoft Excel and JASP. The analysis culminated in the generation of a Criterion map. The study revealed 19 health facilities in Bukuru town comprising of four secondary and 15 Primary Health Centres. 33.6% of the total population of Bukuru town are underserved by health facilities in the study area. Some of the challenges facing the distribution of health facilities in the study area include low patronage, poor access road and location of the facilities. The study concluded that more health care facilities especially SHC should be provided. The AHP preference matrix proposes improvement on the type of health facility in the study area based access to the facility. Furthermore, this infers that additional health centres should be introduced to cover for the shortage in areas that lack health facilities in order to ensure even distribution of health facilities.