The Growth and Development of General Practice Operators in Modern Healthcare Provision in Tivland, Central Nigeria

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of General Studies, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Nigeria

2 DAAD 2025 Guest Lecturer, Institute of History, Paderborn University, Germany, & Lecturer, Department of History, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

10.30476/rhm.2024.102122.1204

Abstract

This paper discusses the rise of private healthcare providers, collectively known as general practice operators (GPOs) or commercial providers, in modern healthcare provision in Tivland. This category of modern healthcare provision has 301 healthcare facilities, accounting for 31.987% of the total modern healthcare facilities available in Tivland. Despite the massive contribution of GPOs to the modern healthcare system, very little is known about the rise and development of this arm of healthcare providers in Tivland of central Nigeria. It fills this lacuna by asking: What is the evolution and impact of GPOs in Tivland? Primary and secondary data are used. Primary data include archival documents from the National Archive Kaduna (NAK), Nigeria, and oral interviews, including focus group discussions. Interviews were conducted with GPOs, medical and healthcare practitioners, medical and healthcare Union executives, community leaders, and women in Makurdi, Gboko, Ukum, and Katsina-Ala areas of Tivland from 2016 through 2019. They were qualitatively analyzed through a thematic approach. The rise of GPOs in Tivland was driven by the emergence of qualified indigenous medical professionals, crises in the public healthcare sector, and commercial motives. The government should provide grants and tax incentives to encourage efficiency. Also, to promote professionalism and curtail quackery in GPOS, the government should step up monitoring and supervision to ensure standardization in operation for enhanced healthcare delivery in Tivland, central Nigeria.

Keywords

References

  1. Adagba, S.T., 2012. Joshua A. Adagba: The Memoir of a Medical Genius. Makurdi: Aboki 
  2. Agbali, A.A., 2006. The Catholic Church, Social Justice Teachings and Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria, In: Falola, T. and Heaton, M.M. eds., 2006. Traditional and Mordern Healthcare System in Nigeria. Asmara Eritrea: Africa World Press, pp. 37-89.
  3. Agubosim, S.C., 1997. The development of modern medical and health services in the Warri/Delta province, Nigeria 1906-1960. Ph.D. Thesis. University of Ibadan.
  4. Akin, J., et al., 1985. The demand for primary health services in third world. Rowman and Allenheld: In: Berman, P., 1999. Understanding the supply side: a conceptual framework for describing and analyzing the provision of health care services with an application to Egypt. International Health Systems Group Harvard School of Public Health.
  5. Alubo, O., 2001. The promise and limits of private healthcare: policy dilemmas in Nigeria. Health Policy and Planning, 16(3), pp. 313-321.
  6. Alubo, S., 1983. The political economy of Health and medical care in Nigeria. Ph.D Dissertation. University of Missouri, Columbia.
  7. Alubo, S., 1986. The political economy of Doctor’s strike in Nigeria. Social science and medicine, 22(4), pp. 467-477.
  8. Alubo, S.O., 1992. Health services and military messianism in Nigeria (1983-1990). Journal of social development in Africa, 7(1), pp. 45-65.
  9. Alubo, S.O., 2010. Doctoring as business: A study of entrepreneurial medicine in Nigeria. Medical Anthropology: Cross-Cultural Studies in Health and Illness. 12(3), pp.305-324.
  10. Ameh, I., 2018. [Interview] Modern Healthcare Development in Tivland. Interviewed by Aondowase Hembe. September 29.
  11. Bennett, S., et al., 1997. The Public/private mix debate in healthcare. In: Ityavyar, D.A., ed., 1992. The Colonial Origins of Health Care Services: The Nigerian Example. In: Falola, T. & Dennis, I. ed. 1992. The Political Economy of Health in Africa. Ohio: University Centre for International studies.
  12. Berman, P., 1999. Understanding the supply side: a conceptual framework for describing and analyzing the provision of health care services with an application to Egypt. [Manuscript] International Health Systems Group, Harvard School of Public Health. Available from: https://content.sph.harvard.edu/wwwhsph/sites/1989/2020/04/No-82.pdf.
  13. Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, 1964. Missionary records. Annual report of health secretariat. [Manuscript]. Held at: Makurdi, Catholic Diocese Health Secretariat.
  14. Dash, P., and Meredith, D., 2010. When and how provider competition can improve healthcare delivery. Available from: http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insight/when-and-how-provider-competition-can-improve-health-care-delivery. [Accessed 23 June 2019].
  15. Directorate of Health Planning, 2014. Health management information systems. [Manuscript]. Held at: Benue State Ministry of Health. Makurdi. pp. 16-25.
  16. Donev, D., Kovacic, L., and Laaser, U., 2013. The Role and Organization of Health Systems. In: Burazeri, G. & Kragelj, L.Z., ed. 2013. Health: Systems – Lifestyles – Policies. Vol. 1. Germany: Jacob Verlag Publishing Company. p. 5.
  17. Dorward, D.C., 1975. A political and social history of the Tiv people of northern Nigeria 1900-1939. Ph.D. Thesis. University of London, London.
  18. Gbillah, I., 2020. [Interview] Modern Healthcare Development in Tivland. Interviewed by Aondowase Hembe. January 18.
  19. Gilson, L., Palmer, N., and Schneider, H. 2005. Trust and health worker performance: Exploring a conceptual framework using South African evidence. Social Science & Medicine, 61(7), pp. 1418-1429. Pub Med PMID: 16005777.
  20. Gulliford, M., Figueroa-Munoz, J., Morgan, M., Hughes, D., Gibson, B., Beech, R. and Hudson, M., 2002. What does ‘access to health care’ mean? Journal of Health Services Research& Policy, 7(3). Available from:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11214843_What_does_%27access_to_health_care%27_mean?enrichId=rgreq-d9758328ad0880fcc9600c3b31a1a091-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzExMjE0ODQzO0FTOjEwMzQxNTY3Nzk4MDY4NkAxNDAxNjY3NjI3ODMx&el=1_x_3&_esc=publicationCoverPdf [Accessed 26 February, 2001]
  21. Gyoh, S., 2018. [Interview] Modern Healthcare Development in Tivland. Interviewed by Aondowase Hembe. October 8.
  22. Hembe, A., and Abah, D., 2021. Epidemics control measures among communities in colonial Nigeria, 1922-1952: The Igala and Tiv experience. VUNA Journal of History and International Relations, 5(5), pp. 250-264.
  23. Hembe, A., 2021. A history of private healthcare services in Tivland, 1911-2005. Ph.D. Thesis. Benue State University, Makurdi.
  24. Hembe, D., 2019. [Interview] Modern Healthcare Development in Tivland. Interviewed by Aondowase Hembe. October 22.
  25. Igirgi, A.D., 2007. A history of the Tiv textile industry c.1850-2000 A.D. Makurdi: Aboki Publishers.
  26. Iroha, E., 1984. Return of the military. Daily Time. 4 March. p. 17.
  27. Ityavyar, D.A., 1992. The colonial origins of health care services: the Nigerian example. In: Falola, T., and Dennis. I. ed., The Political Economy of Health in Africa. Ohio: Ohio University Centre for International Studies.
  28. Keleher, H., and MacDougall, C., eds., 2016. Understanding Health. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford press.
  29. Kohol, A., 2019. [Interview] Modern Healthcare Development in Tivland. Interviewed by Aondowase Hembe. October 16.
  30. Liu, G.G., et al., 2002. Economic cost of HIV infection: An employer’s perspective. European Journal of Health Economics, 3. In: Cholewka, P.A., Motlagh, M.M., ed., 2008. Health Capital and Sustainable Socioeconomic Development. London: CRC press.
  31. Manuscript No. NAI,MH/Fed/1/1/11841c, 1952. Annual Medical Report, Private Medical Activities. [Manuscript]. Held at: Ibadan: National Archive Ibadan, (NAI).
  32. Manuscript No. NAK/KADMin Health/404, 1945. Missionary Report, Roman Catholic Mission Maternity, Udei. [Manuscript]. Held at: Kaduna: National Archive Kaduna (NAK).
  33. Manuscript No. NAK/MAKPROF/1366, 1951. Medical & Sanitary Service Annual Reports 1943-51, Makurdi Province. [Manuscript]. Held at: Kaduna: National Archive Kaduna (NAK).Manuscript No. NAK/MAKPROF/2780/S.8, 1945. Development of Medical Health 1941-49 Makurdi Province. [Manuscript]. Held at: Kaduna: National Archive Kaduna (NAK).
  34. Manuscript No. NAK/MAKPROF/MED/64, 1929. Department of Medical and Sanitary Service Annual Report. [Manuscript]. Held at: Kaduna: National Archive Kaduna (NAK).
  35. Manuscript No. NAK/MAKPROF/MED25Vol II, 1958. Medical General 1958-62 Makurdi Province. [Manuscript]. Held at: Kaduna: National Archive Kaduna (NAK).
  36. Myom, I., 2018. [Interview] Interviewed by Aondowase Hembe. 30 August.
  37. Ochefu, P.Y., 2018. [Interview] Pioneers in private healthcare provision in Tivland. Interviewed by Aondowase Hembe. October 9.
  38. Ogunbekun, I., Ogunbekun, A., and Orabaton, N., 1999. Private healthcare in Nigeria: walking the tightrope. Oxford Journal of Health Policy and Planning, [e-journal] 4(2), Available from: http://heapol.oxfordjournals.org/ [Accessed 13 March 2015]
  39. Orla, M., Maria, L., Abbey, H., and Sam, P., 2009. Social theory, health & healthcare. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
  40. Radcliffe-Brown, A.R., 1952. Structure and function in primitive societies. London: Cobham and West. In: Adefolaju, T., 2014. Traditional and orthodox medical system in Nigeria: The imperative of a synthesis. American Journal of Health Research, 2(4), p. 119.
  41. Schram, R., 1971. A history of the Nigerian health services. Ibadan: University Press.
  42. The Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2014. National health bill 2014. [Manuscript]. No. Sb.215. Held at: Abuja: House of Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria. p. 28.
  43. Ujoh, F., and Kwaghsende, F., 2014. Analysis of the spatial distribution of health facilities in Benue State, Nigeria. Public health research, 4(5), pp. 210-218.
  44. Ver, T., 2018. [Interview] The proprietor of Myon Hospital. Interviewed by Aondowase Hembe. October 8.
  45. Wadge, et al. 2017. Evaluating the impact of private providers on health and health systems. London, UK: Imperial College London.

 

Journal of Research on History of Medicine
Volume 14, Issue 2
May 2025
Pages 115-132

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics