Factors influencing provision of quality service in the public health sector, a case of Mwingi sub-county hospital, Kitui county-Kenya

Abstract

Quality public health service is a basic need that ensures strong and health human beings. While countries have tried to provide quality to their citizens, people in the rural areas and areas of low economic status have been faced with the challenges in accessing quality health services. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing provision of quality services in the public sector in Mwingi Sub County. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: To examine the influence of employee capacity on service delivery in public health sector, a case of Mwingi Sub County hospital, To assess the influence of financial resources on service delivery in public health sector a case of Mwingi Sub County hospital, To determine the influence of modern technology on service delivery in public health sector a case of Mwingi Sub County hospital. Maslow‟s Hierarchy of Human needs was used in the study. Descriptive survey design was employed in the study. The target population for the study was the hospital medical staff in Mwingi Sub County hospital. Purposive sampling was used to select 6 medical doctors and 12 public health officers based at the Sub County hospital by the virtue of being the officers in charge of providing medical and public health services and 20 nurses were selected by use of simple random sampling. A total of 38 respondents participated in the study. Data was collected through interview schedules and questionnaires. The instruments‟ validity was tested using supervisors opinion while split half technique was used to test on the reliability of the instruments where the instruments will be considered reliable. The Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages was used to analyze the data. The analyzed data is presented in the form of frequency tables. The data has been interpreted and discussed. Recommendations and suggestions for further studies have also been presented. The findings of the study revealed that employee capacity influenced provision of quality health service. Secondly financial allocation by the government was inadequate thus compromising provision of quality health services in Mwingi Sub County hospital. Lastly, findings revealed that there was inadequate and an unavailability of modern technological technique use in the sub county hospital. The study therefore recommends that; the government empower the health workforce with skills and knowledge and motivate medical staff; the government increases its financial allocation to the hospital and have proper control mechanisms of finances to avoid misappropriation and misdirection of funds; the hospital management improve and invest more on modern technology which will help in provision of quality health services.