Urbanisation and Health Sector Management in Enugu Urban, Enugu State Nigeria

The study examines the urbanisation and health sector management in Enugu Urban, Enugu State Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to: assess the impact of urbanization on the availability and accessibility of healthcare services in Enugu Urban, evaluate the effect of rapid population growth and informal settlements on public health and disease prevalence in Enugu Urban and analyze government policies and urban planning strategies in addressing healthcare infrastructure deficits in Enugu Urban. The study employed primary and secondary sources of data. The population of the study was 1,586,200. Freund and Williams (1986) formula was used to determine the sample size of 369. The collected data was analyzed through the use of mean score. The ttest analysis technique was applied in testing the hypotheses. The findings revealed that there is a significant impact of urbanization on the availability and accessibility of healthcare services in Enugu Urban, that rapid population growth and informal settlements have a significant effect on public health and disease prevalence in Enugu Urban and that government policies and urban planning strategies are effective in addressing healthcare infrastructure deficits in Enugu Urban. The study concluded that urbanization significantly affects health sector management in Enugu Urban, leading to increased demand for healthcare services. Rapid population growth and informal settlements contribute to poor sanitation, increased disease prevalence, and pressure on existing health services. The study recommended that the government should increase investment in healthcare infrastructure by expanding hospitals, upgrading existing facilities, and establishing more primary healthcare centers in underserved areas. Public-private partnerships should be strengthened to enhance funding, while medical equipment and essential drugs should be adequately supplied to meet the growing healthcare demands of urban residents.