CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The popular saying that “Health is wealth and a healthy nation is a wealthy nation” form the basis of this research study. Thus, the issue of good health today has been of paramount concern to everyone in the society, especially as it has been asserted and proved that behind the success of every living thing is good health. No matter how one tries to neglect it, the facts remains that only a healthy man can think out ways of succeeding in life.

Apart from personal hygiene, health care delivery has been seen to be one determinant of good health. David .L. Everhart (1996) in his forwarded note on the book “Management of hospitals and Health Services” State that “God health is a condition of life that most people enjoy and everyone is concerned about. We have a tendency to take good health for granted, until something adverse happens to us, or to our families or friends. And when that occurs, we assume that the system of health care services that we know and trust will respond to our needs effectively, efficiently and compassionately”.

Health care and the system involved in its delivery are changing rapidly, likewise the number and complexity of organizations providing this

care since it is widely believed that health is a fundamental human right. It falls on the organization structure of the society to provide such services that will ensure that people had health and productive lives. The manner through which health care is delivered contributes to the postponement of death and improvement of life of the consumers and individual in the country. It becomes very imperative that adequate measures have to be taken to safe guard the health of consumers.

With respect to this, the Federal Government of Nigeria Via the Federal Ministry of Health established the National Agency for food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) empowered to control, and regulate the manufacture, importation exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, chemical / detergents, medical devices and all drinks including sachet pure water. In discharging its duties the NAFDAC has been up and doing in every respect to control the menace of fake drug and other unwholesome practices within the manufacturing industries. It has however, implored the services of its public relations unit in seeing that its aims and objective are met.

NAFDAC as a health care-delivery organization uses public relations extensively as a powerful tool to increase public awareness of its activities and operations. Despite these effectors made by the agency to increase

public awareness of its activities, and operations. Despite these efforts made by the agency to increase public awareness of its activities, the effectiveness of public relation in health care service is yet to be fully harnessed. The significance of public relation has not yet been well recognized in Nigeria as it is in developed countries. Poor orientation and corrupt value system has affected the effectiveness of health care service delivery.

Against this background, this research study is set to x-ray the possibility of using public relation mechanism to enhance effective health acre service delivery in the country.

1.2       STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

One’s perception of problem is influenced by his experience, value and interest. It is only when a problem is perceived as a major concern that an individual is motivated to search for the solution (Acho, 2001). Public relation is a management function, which evaluates the public attitude, identifies the policies and procedures of an organization with the public interest and plans, executes programmes of action to earn the public understanding and acceptance.

In Nigerian, poor orientation and corrupt value system has affected the effectiveness of health care service delivery. The inability of the system

to effectively use its public relation tools to safe guard the health of the consumers in the past has increased the rate of health problem in the country.

1.3       OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.                 To examine the effectiveness of public relations in health care delivery services.

2.                 To ascertain the extent to which public relation tools have been used in enhancing the performance of health care delivery services.

3.                 To identify problems affecting the effective use of public relation tools towards educating and re-orientating consumers by health acre delivery services.

4.                 To identify measures taken by government to ensure that public relations tools are effectively used by health care services.

1.4       RELEVANT RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.                 How effective is public relation in health care delivery services in Nigeria?

2.                 To what extent has public relation tools been used in enhancing the performance of health care delivery services in the country?

3.                 What problems affect the effective use of public relation tools towards educating and re-orientating consumers by health acre delivery services?

4.                 What measures have been taken by government to ensure that public relation tools are effectively used by Health Care delivery services in the country?

1.5    STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESES HYPOTHESIS I

H0:    NAFDAC is not performing its duties as an institution that delivers health care services.

HA:   NAFDAC is not performing its duties as an institution that delivers health care services.