Assessment of the Distribution of Healthcare Personnel in the Northern Senatorial Zone of Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Improving maternal health outcomes requires the availability of skilled birth attendants, including midwives, nurses, and physicians, distributed equitably across geographic areas. Nigeria possesses one of the largest health workforces on the African continent, yet this workforce remains insufficient to meet the country's health needs, particularly in underserved rural and conflict-affected areas. This study assesses the spatial distribution of healthcare personnel across the five Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the Northern Senatorial Zone of Adamawa State, namely Madagali, Mubi North, Mubi South, Michika, and Maiha. The zone comprises a total of 270 health centres, from which 70 were selected using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) proportional sampling formula. Primary data were collected through GPS-coordinated field surveys, structured questionnaires, and purposive interviews administered to 397 health personnel. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and results presented in tabular and cartographic form. The findings reveal a critical shortage of qualified healthcare workers across the study area, with only six doctors recorded for the entire zone. While community health extension workers constitute the majority of the health workforce, there is marked inequality in the distribution of skilled personnel — particularly nurses, midwives, and physicians — across the five LGAs. The study recommends that the state government prioritize targeted recruitment and deployment of skilled personnel to rural health centers, invest in training and capacity building, and implement structured retention strategies to sustain healthcare delivery in the zone.