An Assessment of the School Health Services Among Primary Schools in Ido/Osi LGA of Ekiti State, Nigeria

Authors

  • Ebenezer Olatunji Adeyemi Fellow West African College of Physician, Department of Paediatrics, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria
  • Oladele Simeon Olatunya Department of Paediatrics, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
  • Oluwakemi Blessing Ojulowo Department of Paediatrics, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria
  • Olatunji Emmanuel Atoyebi Fellow West African College of Physician, Department of Paediatrics, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria
  • Olufunke Bosede Bolaji Fellow Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria, Department of Paediatrics, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria
  • Olusegun Joseph Adebami Fellow West African College of Physician, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Osun State University, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60086/jnps540

Keywords:

Ekiti State, Nigeria, primary schools, school health service

Abstract

Introduction: School Health Service (SHS) connotes the preventive and curative health services to pupils and other members of the school community. Its purpose is to help children achieve the maximum health possible for them to obtain full benefits from their education through early detection and treatment of diseases that could impinge their health and learning. This study aimed at ascertaining the state of the school health services in Ido / Osi Local Government Area (LGA), of Ekiti Sate, Nigeria.

Methods: Sixty-seven schools comprising 19 private and 48 public primary schools were surveyed. They were inspected for the availability of the components of the SHS and evaluated using the SHS evaluation scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0.

Results: None of the schools had a doctor or a trained first aider. Only 4.5% of the schools had a nurse. First aid boxes were present in most of the schools with 65.7% (84.2% of private vs 58.3% of public) having essential materials and drugs in their first aid boxes. Children with communicable diseases were sent home by most of the schools (98.5%). 95.8% public schools benefitted from the Federal Government home grown school feeding programme which was lacking in the private schools. Only two private (10.5%) and one public (2.0%) schools attained the minimum acceptable score on SHS respectively.

Conclusions: The state of SHS in Ido / Osi is poor. Stakeholders must provide the needed money, materials and manpower to achieve an effective SHS in the area.

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Published

2023-11-09

Issue

Vol. 43 No. 2 (2023)

Section

Original Articles