The effect of health expenditure on selected maternal and child health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of public and private health expenditures on selected maternal-child health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Design/methodology/approach The study utilizes panel data on 40 SSA countries spanning the period 2000-2010. The data are analyzed using the fixed effects estimation technique. Findings The results indicate that public health expenditure is inversely and significantly related to infant (IMRR) and under-five (U5MR) mortalities in SSA. Though public health expenditure has the a priori negative sign, it has no significant effect on maternal mortality (MMR) in SSA. Further, private health expenditure did not prove to be significant in improving maternal-child health outcomes (IMRR, U5MR and MMR) in SSA. Practical implications The implication of the findings is that a percentage point increase in public health expenditure (as a share of GDP) across the region will result in saving the lives of about 7,040 children every year. Hence, it is important for governments in SSA to increase their shares of health expenditure (public health expenditure) in order to achieve improved health outcomes. Originality/value Previous studies have not adequately explored the effect of various components of health expenditures – public and private – on health outcomes in the context of SSA. In addition to the focus on maternal-child health variables such as infant, under-five and maternal mortalities, the study accounts for the possibility of a non-linear and non-monotonic relationship between healthcare expenditures and health outcomes.

Public health financing, environmental quality, and the quality of life in Nigeria

“…Nicholas et al () discovered the same for 40 SSA countries. Akinlo and Sulola () examined the effects of PHE on infant mortality in 10 SSA countries from 2000 to 2008.…”

“…The literature is by no means shut of studies on the nexus between the environment, PHE, and health status. Recent studies that have examined this link include (Akinlo & Sulola, ; Becchetti, Conzo, & Salustri, ; Dhrifi, , ; Gomis‐Porqueras, Moslehi, & Suen, ; Jaba, Balan, & Robu, ; Kato, Mugarura, Kaberuka, Matovu, & Yawe, ; Li, Fujiura, Magaña, & Parish, ; Liang & Tussing, ; Linden & Ray, ; Nicholas, Edward, & Bernardin, ; Rahman, Khanam, & Rahman, ; van den Heuvel & Olaroiu, ; Ventelou & Abu‐Zaineh, ). Edeme et al () investigated the effect of PHE and urbanization on two different health status indicators in Nigeria from 1981 to 2014.…”

Health expenditure, child and maternal mortality nexus: a comparative global analysis

“…Similarly, Self and Grabowski [ 17 ] found that HE has a significant impact on health only in low and middle-income countries. Furthermore, Bidani and Ravallion [ 18 ] and Nicholas et al [ 19 ] stated that public HE is useful for the poor but not for the non-poor (high-income) in improving HO. Nicholas et al [ 19 ] also concluded that private HE has no significant impact in reducing child and maternal mortality in 40 countries of sub-Saharan Africa.…”

“…Furthermore, Bidani and Ravallion [ 18 ] and Nicholas et al [ 19 ] stated that public HE is useful for the poor but not for the non-poor (high-income) in improving HO. Nicholas et al [ 19 ] also concluded that private HE has no significant impact in reducing child and maternal mortality in 40 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Similar results were also found by Anyanwu and Erhijakpor [ 20 ] for 47 African countries and Farag et al [ 12 ] for 133 low and middle income countries.…”

Maternal health services for pregnant adolescent girls in Uganda: Barriers and Opportunities

“…By the time a health worker is assigned responsibility to render health services, they are competent and therefore unlikely to make mistakes while on duty. This contradicts with Ashiabi et al (25), who ascertained that due to the busy schedule and burnout of health workers, they sometimes provide wrong prescriptions and are responsible for a reasonable number of miscarriages encountered by adolescents. In this regard, a lack of consistency suggests that further research should be conducted about the same subject.…”