EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEALTHCARE MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY POLICIES FOR MARITIME TRANSPORT WORKERS IN PORT HARCOURT SEAPORT

This study examined the relationship between Healthcare Maintenance and Safety Policy of Maritime Transport Workers in Port Harcourt Seaport. The aim and objectives were to examine if there is any relationship between Healthcare Maintenance and Safety policy of Maritime Transport Workers. Three research questions and null hypotheses were formulated to examine the relationship between Healthcare Maintenance and Safety Policy of Maritime Transport Workers in Port Harcourt Seaport. A sample size of 176 workers was selected from the population of 315 workers in Port Harcourt Seaport using the Taro Yamane sampling procedure. Simple Percentages, Frequency Tables, Bar Charts and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient were used as data analysis and techniques. The study found a correlation coefficient of 0.853(rho value) between National Health Insurance Scheme and Safety Policy, 0.755(rho value) between Monitoring/Regulating Healthcare Giver and Safety Policy, and 0.789(rho value) between Healthcare Financing and Safety Policy. From the findings, the study conclude that Healthcare Maintenance have positive and significant relationship with Safety Policy of Maritime Transport Workers in Port Harcourt Seaport. The study, recommends that implementable policies must be put in place to monitor and regulate healthcare givers to avoid ill performance and increase workplace hazard among the maritime transport workers in the seaports. Adequate provisions in financing all healthcare activities in the seaports should be integrated in relevant laws such as the federal government appropriation bills as this will simplify the easy source of financing healthcare projects in the Seaport and there is need for proper management and accountability in healthcare financing in the ports to avoid miss appropriation of healthcare maintenance fund