Restructuring Primary School Health Services in Nigeria for a Sustainable Solution to Global Pandemics

Abstract

This paper focused on restructuring of primary school health services in Nigeria for a sustainable solution to global pandemics with a view to identifying and addressing the challenges of the program in the primary schools. The study was a descriptive survey guided by 3 research questions. The population of the study consisted of 298 teachers and 300 pupils drawn from 30 public primary schools in Edo, Delta and Lagos states in Nigeria. The instrument for data collection was the questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentages that were presented in bar-charts. The paper reveals that the effects of school health problems are enormous as their effects can result in increased national mortality and morbidity, poverty and national stigmatization. The study concludes by suggesting among other things, the use of health education to teach the child to improve their own health and to realize the part they can play in protecting the health of others in the community. In this way, primary school health services now serves as a sustainable solution to both national pandemics like Lassa fever and other global pandemics like Ebola virus, SARS flu and others. Various recommendations were also made.