ABSTRACT
This study examines how various health investments culminate in child health outcomes in Africa, case study the ECOWAS region. The main objectives of the study includes evaluating the impact of health inputs to health on child mortality in developing and advanced nations, and to determine if socioeconomic status has significant impact on child mortality. The study used panel data gathered from the World Bank World Development Indicators database. Data analysis relied on the use of techniques such as fixed effects estimations and ordinary pooled OLS. Results reveal that there is a significant relationship between some health investments and child mortality, and health investments culminate in greater child health outcomes in developing countries than in the developed world. Also, socioeconomic status was found to impact on child mortality.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The health of a child has futuristic effects on the productivity of that individual at adulthood. Several illnesses that affect children spread out into the learning ability of such a child, and so skills acquisition may not be as efficient as it would be in a healthier child. Also, physical deformities (such as those caused by poliomyelitis) can affect a child’s (and later on, the adult’s) ability to function properly. This reduces the level of physical productivity of such an individual (Report of the Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health 2013). Also, a child’s health directly affects an economy in aggregate terms, as more is saved, which would have been spent on medical care for the sick child. Also, more can be spent on educating the child, and so the child can attain higher levels of literacy and be more useful in the economy. Furthermore, a healthy child frees up time for the parents to work, adding to productivity and sick-free days at work. Children can be seen to contribute to productive capacity in Africa, as poverty has made it necessary for children to work as well as attend school. This emphasizes the need for improved child health in this part of the world.
The health of an individual, especially at the early years, is hence very crucial for the proper development and performance of such a person, and for the economy as a whole. Several factors may affect the health of children, such as the socioeconomic status of the parents (Boco, 2010; Rasella et. al 2013). This is a broad determinant, as the income level of the parents determines the health status of the parents, the level of nutrition the child receives, access to sanitation facilities and safe drinking water (Gunther and Fink 2010; Wolfgang et. al 2013) as well as access to primary health care such as immunizations and vaccinations against diseases such as measles, poliomyelitis and others, which all impact on the health of a child.
Another determinant of the health of a child may be the level of spending on health care both by individuals and by the government (Novignon 2012; Yaqub 2002). Also, the health and education background of the mother to a large extent influences the health of a child (Chen and Li, 2006; Ewald and Boughton 2002; Desai and Alva 1998). These determining factors all represent investments in the health of children at the individual and family level.
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