Healthcare Infrastructural and healthcare performance in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study explored how infrastructural development impacts public healthcare performance at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, over the period from 2015 to 2023, with a particular emphasis on hospital bed capacity. Guided by Systems Theory, the research utilized a survey design. A total of 399 questionnaires were distributed among healthcare staff and patients, yielding 339 valid responses for analysis, which translates to an impressive 85.0% response rate. Data collection involved structured questionnaires based on a five-point Likert scale, and the analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics (like frequencies, means, and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (specifically Pearson correlation) via SPSS version 25. The findings indicated that hospital bed capacity has a significant impact on healthcare performance at UUTH. Respondents expressed low satisfaction regarding bed adequacy (mean = 2.43) and reported high levels of ward congestion (mean = 2.29), highlighting ongoing infrastructural challenges. The efficiency of emergency admissions and bed allocation systems showed moderate performance, with mean scores of 2.53 and 2.85, respectively. Hypothesis testing revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between the number of hospital beds and healthcare performance (r = 0.698, p = 0.015), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The study concluded that insufficient hospital bed capacity adversely affects admission efficiency, patient flow, and overall service delivery at UUTH. It is recommended that the federal government and the hospital management board prioritize expanding hospital bed capacity through ward enlargement and better space utilization strategies to boost efficiency, alleviate overcrowding, and enhance timely access to healthcare services.