IMPACT OF PUBLIC POLICY AND ITS EXECUTION AT THE GRASS ROOT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Public policy are the actions part of government, it is defined as what government choses to do or not to do. Policies are designed to achieve certain objective. They are strategy and programs that government adopts or employ in addressing the needs of her citizens. Primary Health care is one of such programs designed by government to alleviate health issues of Nigeria. Health is a universal human right and focus of social and political concern worldwide, healthcare institutions are service-oriented establishments that provide medical care facilities comprising of observational, diagnostic, research and therapeutic and rehabilitative services to the public. Primary Health Care (PHC) is the backbone of a health system and quality PHC initiatives have been recognized as fundamental to improving health outcomes. Globally, the place of health in the development of any nation is primordial. Undoubtedly, the significance of health to national life has made successive Governments in many nations of the world, both developed and developing to design or formulate certain fundamental policies in order to regulate, control and guide the operations of health care services. In Nigeria, various policies have been put in place in order to improve the health sector over the years, these policies includes; Western and Traditional Health Care Integration (WTHCI), Basic Health Social Scheme (BHSS), Primary Health Care (PHC), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and National Action Committee on Aids (NACA) among others.