Distance to health-care facilities: implication for under-five mortality in Nigeria (WITHDRAWN)

Sunday Adedini, University of the Witwatersrand
Clifford O. Odimegwu, University of the Witwatersrand
Olusina Bamiwuye, Obafemi Awolowo University
Opeyemi Fadeyibi, Obafemi Awolowo University
Sunday T. Omoyeni, Obafemi Awolowo University

Health-care facilities are unevenly distributed in Nigeria as in several other sub-Saharan African countries. Meanwhile, accessibility to health facilities is crucial to the attainment of Millennium Development Goal 4 (reducing childhood mortality). This study, however aims at examining the implication of difficult access to health-care facilities (due to long distance) on childhood mortality in Nigeria. Drawing on 2008 Demographic and Health Survey, the study established a significant relationship between distance to health facility and under-five mortality. For instance, respondents who did not deliver in the health facility due to long distance and poor transport system were more likely to report higher under-five mortality compared to respondents who were living close to health facility. The findings of this study stressed the need for easy accessibility to health care facility in order to place Nigeria back on track towards the attainment of Millennium Development Goal 4.