Management of Nigerian health care institutions: A cross sectional survey of selected health institutions in Abuja Nigeria

Abstract

Health services management, which is described as the process of mobilizing and deploying resources for the
efficient provision of effective health services, has taken the center stage in business discussions across the globe.
Poor management is unanimously blamed for the diminishing fortunes of most health industries. The present study
was designed to review the managerial skills of health administrators and their effects on health care services in
Nigeria. It was also programmed to test the assumption that poor management is a direct consequence of poor
management training and skills. Using an exploratory cross-sectional survey, self administered questionnaires were
administered to managers of health care institutions in Abuja, Nigeria, and data were analyzed using standard
statistical techniques. Most Nigerian health managers lacked adequate management knowledge and skills. The
analysis established a significant relationship between unidentifiable leadership styles/administrative training and
poor management of Nigerian health institutions (X2
= 9.68, p < 0.005). Training and improvement of management
skills of health care managers will significantly ameliorate managerial problems of the health institutions (X2
= 56.85, p
< 0.001), and a contingent management technique (CMT) among other recommendations for an effective and efficient
health care industry is hereby proposed.