Assessing the Accuracy of GIS Based Multicriteria Decision Analysis for the Location of Health Care Facilities

This research assesses the efficacy of GIS-based MCDA approach in measuring the accessibility of people to healthcare facilities in some selected areas in Lagos state. The research identify factors for location of existing health care facilities in Lagos metropolis, develop multi-criteria for location of health care facilities using analytic hierarchy process of the identified factors and development of hybrid decision support map to guide policy makers decision for the location of health facilities in Lagos based on the multi criteria factors. The data collected using subjective and evaluated questionnaire administered to medical experts and the collection of data on the co-ordinates of healthcare facilities in Lagos state from the Lagos State Ministry of Health. The approach involves integrating one multi-criteria decision in a raster GIS environment, and incorporating the weighted linear combination approach as a method for obtaining the total weights. Based on the generated information, a geo data base was created and the results presented using tables and maps. The results of the research show that; population, income, household size, sewage system, types of healthcare facilities are all consistent factors for the location of healthcare facilities in Lagos state and there is unequal distribution of healthcare facilities which affects the accessibility rate of the health facilities. The research recommends the need for more healthcare facilities and it should be in direct proportion to population.