Rural clinics in Nigeria face significant operational challenges due to limited resources and infrastructure, impacting patient care efficiency. The study employs econometric techniques including Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to assess the operational performance of rural clinics. Panel data from three regions were collected and analysed over two years. Panel-data analysis revealed that clinic size, staffing levels, and infrastructure investment significantly influence efficiency gains in delivering healthcare services. The findings suggest that targeted investments in facilities and personnel can lead to substantial improvements in rural clinic operational efficiency. Health policymakers should prioritise allocation of resources towards under-resourced regions to enhance service delivery and patient care quality. rural clinics, efficiency gains, panel data estimation, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Nigeria
Ogunmola et al. (Thu,) studied this question.