Impacts of Health Expenditure Financing on Infant Mortality and Diminishing Returns: Implications for Sub-Saharan Africa
- People & Global Business Association
- Global Business and Finance Review
- Vol.25 No.4
- 2020.12
- 25 - 32 (8 pages)
Purpose: This study examines the impacts of health expenditures on infant mortality. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on a comprehensive panel data of 100 countries (31 developed and 69 developing countries) for 18 years (2000-2017) and, based on the Hausman Test, applies fixed effect analyses. Findings: Not only a negative relationship between health expenditures and the infant mortality rate but its diminishing returns are found. This pattern turns out to be stronger in developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It appears that a country can easily target the most needed class or region to effectively minimize infant mortality given a limited amount of health expenditure, but that same amount may not suffice in reaching defined goals. Research limitations/implications: This implies that the rising amounts of health expenditure would be needed if countries seek to decrease infant mortality at the same rate as they had previously done. To expedite a response, multi-agency or multi-national coordination is essential, and an effective means of mobilizing resources, such as basket funding or program-based approaches, would be desirable. Originality/value: With an up-to-date dataset, this study confirms the effectiveness of health expenditure disbursement with its diminishing returns, which may shed light to developing countries in designing relevant policies.
I. Introduction
II. Research Design: Data and Methodology
III. Empirical Results
IV. Conclusions and Implications for Sub-Saharan Africa
References