Abstract

Background: Primary Health Care (PHC) is a critical element in health and socioeconomic development of communities especially in rural Africa. There is paucity of information on the assessment of many indices of PHC in Tanzanian villages. This study was therefore designed with the purpose of evaluating some critical primary PHC indices of Masaki Village in Tanzania. Methodology: One hundred owners of homesteads living within Masaki village were recruited for the study based on informed consent. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, quality of housing, water supply, personal hygiene, diseases’ vectors, general health status and environmental sanitation were gotten through self-administered semi-structured questionnaires. Data collected was analyzed using standard statistical methods. Results: The results showed that standard of living (quality of housing is low 23%) and education level of adults in Masaki is low (no education 47%). Water supply is a major problem (only 13% accessed safe water), diseases’ vectors are very common (95%). There is high prevalence of malaria (73%), acute respiratory tract infections (19%), typhoid (10%) and diarrhea (6%). Environmental sanitation is poor (56% inadequate refuse disposal and 35% deep latrine). Conclusion: PHC indicators; standard of living, water supply, education, sanitation and diseases’ vectors need to be addressed appropriately. Community based health education activities and other programmes geared towards enhancing PHC should be developed and implemented.

Keywords:

Community based education on research methods activities, critical, indices, Masaki village, primary health care, Tanzania,

References

Competing interests

The authors have no competing interests.

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The authors have no competing interests.