Gender Analysis of the Nigerian Health Sector
International Journal of Humanities, Art and Social Studies (IJHAS), 03 (02):
59-69 (May 2018)Abstract
The paper analyzed the gender disparity in the Nigerian health sector. The study focused particularly on
somestates in Northern Nigeria that shared similar demographic characteristics. The paper provided an
in-depth analysis of how women who constituted the largest percentage of health ‘consumers’ are
dominated by men working in the sector. The paper revealed that the disparity between men and women
or male dominance in the health sector is a result of the cultural orientation of the people in Northern
Nigeria who give preference to male child education than females. It has established that long duration
that students spent undergoing training has dissuaded the inhabitants of the Northern Nigeria who are
Hausa and Muslim to enroll their female children into medical schools. This is because the culture of
Hausa people and their interpretation of Islam demand women should be in hermatrimonial home at their
teen age. Based on the findings, it has been recommended that there is the need for cultural reorientation
to debunk the beliefs system that hinder women to acquire medical education and training.