The role of health infrastructure on mortality incidence in Nigeria
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Date
2020
Authors
Iwegbu, O.
Oguntunde, T.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Unilag Press & Bookshop ltd
Abstract
This paper examines the role of health infrastructure on mortality incidence in Nigeria. The paper makes a proposition that infrastructure with specifics to the health sector is critical in determining the extent of mortality rate in Nigeria. The mortality cases examined are the infant mortality rate, under-five mortality rate and the maternal mortality rate. Thus, with specifics, the paper examines the role of health infrastructure on infant mortality rate, under-five mortality rate and maternal mortality rate in Nigeria. Secondary data are employed and the stationarity test of the variable is conducted using the Dickey-Fuller test while the Pesaran ARDL Bound co-integration is used to test if long-run stability exists. The test result shows that the variables are integrated at level and others at first difference; also, co-integration exists in the economic fundamentals. To this end, Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model Estimation technique is employed to examine the objectives. The study found out that the number of available physicians, nurses, midwives and the availability of vitamin A supplements are key health infrastructure that reduces mortality incidence in Nigeria. However, the availability of basic sanitation facilities, availability of basic drinking water services, availability of insecticide-treated bed nets, number of available hospital beds and provision of immunization facilities for BCG are critically lacking health infrastructure needed in reducing mortality incidence in Nigeria. The policy recommendation is that the government at all levels need to massively invest in the provision of health infrastructure by increasing her expenditure to health sector from the average of 5 – 7% it has been to above 10% to catch up with the minimum standard of 16% as recommended by UNESCO for a developing country.
Description
Scholarly articles
Keywords
Health Infrastructure , Infant Mortality Rate , Under five Mortality Rate , Maternal Mortality Rate , Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL) , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Business and economics::Economics
Citation
Iwegbu, O., & Oguntunde, T. (2020). The role of health infrastructure on mortality incidence in Nigeria. In J.A.T. Ojo, P.O. Oladele, J.A. Oloyede, S.O. Olayiwola, M.O. Ajayi, & E.N. Olowokere (eds.), Readings on Financial System, Entrepreneurship and Institutional Support for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Africa (Chp. 29, pp. 595 – 620). Lagos, Nigeria: Unilag Press & Bookshop ltd.