Health Care Financing and Budgetary Allocation in Ondo State

Funding of the health care sector in Nigeria is faced with enormous challenges that must be overcome if quality and effective health care service is to be made available to the people. While health care research has focused largely on the provision, access, and quality of the facilities, this study investigated the mechanism of public health care financing in Ondo State, Nigeria. The data used for the study were from both primary and secondary sources. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to select and elicit information from the respondents. The 18 local government areas (LGAs) in Ondo state were segregated into three senatorial districts; three LGAs were randomly selected from each senatorial district. With the aid of an interview guide, in-depth interview were held with the chairmen of the three LGAs. Information sought included the various sources of finance and health care financial challenges. Descriptive statistics as well as trend analysis were used for data analysis. The major challenges of health care financing were inadequate funding by government, high out-of pocket-payment, inadequate implementation of health care financing policy and corruption. This study concluded that health care financing was inadequate in the study area and recommended an increase in government budgetary allocation and prompt release of funds for public health care, adequate implementation of health care policies as well as proper monitoring and evaluation of fund utilization to discourage corruption and mismanagement.