ABSTRACT

Since the year 1960, when Nigeria got her independence, the Federal Government has been doing a lot in the area of Agriculture, Education, industries Health services, Banking and other Financial institutions. In the area of Health services, the government's efforts has been to ensure that she achieves good health for all. The evidence of her effort is made manifest in the construction of many public health institutions throughout all the states. These include the following: Health centers, Health clinics, maternities and mobile clinics. Few years ago the Federal Government took over the former Queen Elizabeth hospital and converted it to Federal Medical Centre Umuahia in Abia State. Although the period under review has not been marked by any spectacular progress in the health situation of the state, the general trend toward improvement which began just of recent has been confirmed. Greater knowledge, increased financial and human resources, better organization, increased public health consciousness, changes in medical practices and the growing appreciation of the possibility of preventing diseases, have continued to contribute to a slow but steady improvement in conditions of health in the area. However, these advances might appear insignificant when compared to the magnitude of the problem, still to be solved. A close look at any hospital will show a statistical record of patients being admitted everyday. These patients have one problem or the other. Some suffer from some major communicable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, small pox, cholera, veneral diseases, leprosy, trachoma, plague, jaws infections, hepat.;tis, schitosomiasis, filarical diseases, poliomyelitis, zoonoses, AIDS. (Acquired immune Deficiency syndrome), chronic and

degenerative diseases.