Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Access to Primary Healthcare has emerged as a critical factor shaping under-five mortality rate across organizations operating in and around Selected States in South-West Nigeria. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how access to primary healthcare relates to under-five mortality rate has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Selected States in South-West Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on access to primary healthcare, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with under-five mortality rate, particularly within Selected States in South-West Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about access to primary healthcare without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect under-five mortality rate. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Access to Primary Healthcare on under-five mortality rate in Selected States in South-West Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which access to primary healthcare influences under-five mortality rate within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with access to primary healthcare in relation to under-five mortality rate.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing access to primary healthcare in order to improve under-five mortality rate.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of access to primary healthcare on under-five mortality rate in Selected States in South-West Nigeria?
2. To what extent does access to primary healthcare influence under-five mortality rate within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with access to primary healthcare in relation to under-five mortality rate?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize access to primary healthcare in order to improve under-five mortality rate?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around under-five mortality rate. For managers and practitioners within Selected States in South-West Nigeria, the study provides practical insight into how access to primary healthcare can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on public health by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Access to Primary Healthcare and its relationship with under-five mortality rate within the context of Selected States in South-West Nigeria. It reflects a clearly defined scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.