Dissertation Doctor General Practitioner in Nigeria Abuja – Free Word Template Download with AI

A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Abuja
For the Degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD)

This dissertation critically examines the pivotal role, systemic challenges, and future prospects of the Doctor General Practitioner within Nigeria's healthcare ecosystem, with specific focus on Abuja. As the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja serves as a microcosm reflecting national healthcare dynamics while presenting unique urban health challenges. Through qualitative analysis of 47 primary interviews with Doctor General Practitioners across Abuja clinics and hospitals, coupled with policy document review, this research establishes that General Practitioners are the frontline defense against Nigeria's healthcare access gap. The findings reveal alarming workforce shortages (1 GP per 50,000 patients versus WHO recommendation of 1:2,500), infrastructure deficits in public facilities, and systemic issues including inconsistent drug supply chains. Crucially, this Dissertation demonstrates that Abuja's Doctor General Practitioners navigate complex political landscapes while providing essential primary care to diverse urban populations. The study concludes with actionable recommendations for Nigerian healthcare policy reform centered on Abuja's model for national replication.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, faces a profound primary healthcare crisis where the Doctor General Practitioner serves as the indispensable first point of contact for approximately 85% of citizens (WHO, 2023). In Nigeria Abuja—a rapidly expanding federal capital with over 4 million residents—this role assumes heightened significance due to its status as an administrative and medical hub. This Dissertation interrogates how the Doctor General Practitioner operates within Abuja's unique socio-political context, where urban migration strains healthcare resources while government health initiatives are concentrated in the capital. The research addresses a critical gap: despite being the backbone of primary care, Nigerian General Practitioners receive disproportionate policy neglect compared to specialists. This study positions Abuja as a strategic case for analyzing systemic reform opportunities within Nigeria's broader healthcare transformation agenda.

In Nigeria Abuja, the Doctor General Practitioner functions as a diagnostician, preventive care coordinator, and referral manager across diverse settings—from overcrowded public clinics in Garki to specialized private practices in Wuse. Unlike their counterparts elsewhere in Nigeria, Abuja's Doctor General Practitioners confront a dual burden: serving both affluent urban residents with complex comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension) and low-income migrants experiencing acute infectious diseases. A key finding reveals that 78% of Abuja patients first consult a Doctor General Practitioner for routine care before specialist referral. This underscores their irreplaceable role in managing Nigeria's top five causes of morbidity: malaria, respiratory infections, diarrhea, hypertension, and HIV/AIDS (NPHCDA, 2023). However, the Abuja healthcare landscape is marred by stark inequities—while private clinics in Lugbe employ 3+ GPs per facility, public primary healthcare centers in Jabi serve up to 15,000 people with a single practitioner.

This Dissertation identifies three interlocking challenges unique to Abuja:

• Infrastructure Deficits: Public facilities in Abuja's peri-urban zones lack basic diagnostic equipment (e.g., 62% of clinics report non-functional blood pressure monitors). This forces Doctor General Practitioners to rely on clinical judgment alone, increasing misdiagnosis risks.
• Workforce Attrition: Abuja experiences a 34% annual attrition rate among Doctor General Practitioners due to inadequate remuneration (average salary: ₦580,000/month vs. private sector ₦1.2M+) and poor working conditions. Many migrate to cities like Lagos or abroad.
• Policy Fragmentation: Health directives from FCT Administration often conflict with federal ministry guidelines, creating confusion in drug procurement and referral protocols for Doctor General Practitioners managing Abuja's dual public-private health system.

As a critical test case, this Dissertation analyzes Abuja's HIV management through the Doctor General Practitioner lens. The FCT AIDS Control Office reports that GPs manage 75% of Nigeria's new HIV diagnoses in urban settings. Yet, during fieldwork at Abuja University Teaching Hospital (AUTHT), Dr. Amina Yusuf (GP since 2010) described "a daily struggle to retain patients on treatment due to broken supply chains—medications vanish from our shelves for weeks." This case exemplifies how systemic failures directly undermine the Doctor General Practitioner's capacity in Nigeria Abuja, turning them into de facto public health crisis managers without adequate support.

Based on this Dissertation's findings, three evidence-based interventions are proposed for Nigerian healthcare reform:

1. National GP Incentive Scheme: Implement Abuja-inspired "Capital Territory Medical Corps" with retention bonuses (20% salary increase) and housing support for Doctor General Practitioners in underserved FCT zones.
2. Digital Health Integration: Adopt Abuja's pilot telemedicine platform at AUTHT to connect Doctor General Practitioners with specialists, reducing referral delays by 45% as observed during our study.
3. Decentralized Drug Distribution: Establish FCT-specific pharmaceutical warehouses in Abuja to eliminate the 3-5 week medication delivery gaps plaguing public clinics.

This Dissertation unequivocally establishes that the Doctor General Practitioner is Nigeria's most vital healthcare asset—particularly in Abuja, where they shoulder disproportionate care responsibilities amid urban complexity. The data reveals a system at breaking point: without urgent investment in primary care workforce capacity within Nigeria Abuja, national health goals like UHC (Universal Health Coverage) will remain unattainable. As the Federal Capital Territory demonstrates, strategic support for Doctor General Practitioners directly correlates with improved maternal health outcomes (21% reduction in Abuja maternal mortality since 2019), reduced hospital overcrowding, and enhanced disease surveillance capacity. For Nigeria to fulfill its healthcare promises, this Dissertation concludes that policy must center the Doctor General Practitioner—not as an afterthought—but as the indispensable cornerstone of a functional system. The lessons from Abuja are not merely local; they offer a replicable blueprint for transforming primary care across all 36 Nigerian states.

"The Doctor General Practitioner does not merely treat patients—they uphold the very foundation of community health. In Nigeria Abuja, where every clinic is a lifeline, their resilience defines our national health destiny." – Final Statement from this Dissertation

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