EXPLORING THE DYNAMICS OF HEALTHCARE EXPENDITURE, CONSUMER PRICE INDEX AND MORTALITY RATE AMONG CHILDREN BELOW 5YEARS IN NIGERIA
Aliyu Ahmad Yusuf
Volume 3 Issue 2
Abstract
The study explore the dynamic relationships between healthcare expenditure, consumer price index as a proxy to health care prices and mortality rate amongst children below 5 years of age in Nigeria. Using the ARDL approach, the study found evidence to suggest a long run relationship existing between below 5-year children mortality rates, consumer price index and total health care expenditure on one hand and as well between total health care expenditure, below 5-year mortality rate, and consumer price index on the other hand. The findings also reveal that elasticity of coefficient of CPI is negatively related to below 5-year children mortality rate but statistically significant at 5% level in the long run and positively related to total health care expenditure but statistically not significant. More so, in the long run, the result indicates that the coefficient of HCEXP at lag one is statistically significant and positively related to children below 5 years’ mortality rate while consumer price index is positively related to total health expenditure but statistically insignificant. However, the study recommends increasing health sector budgetary allocation, improve government spending on health care services at all levels ranging from primary, secondary and tertiary thereby making policies for free health care services and social health insurance scheme especially for children below the age of five. This will go a long way to address health challenges associated with children under five years children and will reduce the mortality rates for both infant and adult in Nigeria. Key word: Health Expenditure; Consumer Price, Below 5-year; Mortality; ARDL; Nigeria
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