ORIGINAL: What Does it Cost to Provide Free Maternal and Child Health Services in Primary Health Centres? A Case Study of Imo State, Southeast Nigeria
West Afr J Med. 2024 September; 41 (9): 959-965 PMID: 39863959
Keywords:
Child health, Cost, Free, Maternal health, Nigeria, Primary health centreAbstract
Background: This study estimated the cost of providing free maternal and child health (MCH) services at the primary health centre (PHC) level in southeast Nigeria. The costs of providing an essential benefit package of maternal and child health (MCH) services are unknown. Such information is required for optimal resource allocation decisions and for replicating similar programmes in different settings.
Methods: The full and unit costs of providing a thin benefit package of MCH services in all the 418 PHC centers in Imo State, southeast Nigeria were computed using an ingredient and activity costing approach from a provider perspective. Data on costs were collected both retrospectively and cross-sectionally. Data on service utilisation by mothers and children under five years were collected from the PHC attendance registers.
Results: The total cost was $27,710,009.00, whilst the unit costs for delivering combined MCH services in 418 PHCs were $37.2. However, for just child health services, the unit cost was $13.7 per child, whilst the unit cost of providing just maternal health services was $42.7 per pregnant woman. Personnel costs contributed 84.6% of the total cost.
Conclusion: The findings will guide the design and scale-up of a similar programme towards the achievement of universal health coverage of MCH services.
