Affiliation:
1. Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, North-West University Mafikeng Campus, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
Abstract
Universal health coverage (UHC) defines individuals’ timely access to healthcare services without suffering any health-related financial constraints. The Senegalese government has shown commitments towards achievement of UHC as a way of improving access by the population to quality healthcare services. This is very pertinent for promoting some indicators of under-five health in Senegal. Therefore, this study analyzed the factors influencing sick children’s utilization of the nearest healthcare facilities and their wait times in Senegal. The data were from the Service Provision Assessment (SPA) survey, which was conducted in 2018. The instrumental Tobit regression model was used for data analysis. The results showed that 63.50% and 86.01% of the children utilized health posts and publicly owned facilities, respectively. Also, 98.46% of the children utilized urban facilities. The nearest facilities were utilized by 74.55%, and 78.19% spent less than an hour in the facilities. The likelihood of using the nearest healthcare facilities significantly reduced (p < 0.05) with caregivers’ primary education, higher education, residence in some regions (Fatick, Kaokack, Saint Louis, Sediou, and Tambacounda), and use of private/NGO not-for-profit facilities, but increased with not having visited any other providers, residence in the Kaffrie region, vomiting symptoms, use of health centers, and use of health posts. Moreover, treatment wait times significantly increased (p < 0.05) with the use of nearest facilities, residence in some regions (Diourbel, Kaokack, Matam and Saint Louis), use of private for-profit facilities, use of private not-for-profit facilities, and urban residence, but decreased with secondary education, use of health centers, use of health posts, vomiting symptoms, and showing other symptoms. It was concluded that reduction in wait times and utilization of the nearest healthcare facilities are fundamental to achieving UHC in Senegal. Therefore, more efforts should be integrated at promoting regional and sectoral equities through facilitated public and private healthcare investment.
Subject
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Reference76 articles.
1. United Nations (2023, May 13). Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Available online: https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda.
2. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2023, May 13). Goal 3 Good Health and Well-,2Being. Available online: https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals/good-health.
3. World Health Organization (WHO) (2023, May 14). Close to One Billion People Globally Are Served by Health-Care Facilities with No Electricity Access or with Unreliable Electricity. Available online: https://www.who.int/news/item/14-01-2023-close-to-one-billion-people-globally-are-served-by-health-care-facilities-with-no-electricity-access-or-with-unreliable-electricity.
4. Howden-Chapman, P., Siri, J., Chisholm, E., Chapman, R., Doll, C.N., and Capon, A. (2017). SDG 3: Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Wellbeing for All at All Ages. A Guide to SDG Interactions: From Science to Implementation, International Council for Science. Available online: https://council.science/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/SDGs-interactions-3-healthy-lives.pdf.
5. World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO) (2023, May 14). World Bank and WHO: Half the World Lacks Access to Essential Health Services, 100 Million still Pushed into Extreme Poverty Because of Health Expenses. Available online: https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2017-world-bank-and-who-half-the-world-lacks-access-to-essential-health-services-100-million-still-pushed-into-extreme-poverty-because-of-health-expenses#:~:text=of%20health%20expenses-,World%20Bank%20and%20WHO%3A%20Half%20the%20world%20lacks%20access%20to,poverty%20because%20of%20health%20expenses&text=At%20least%20half%20of%20the,the%20World%20Bank%20and%20WHO.