Are Wealthy Countries Always Healthy? Health Outcomes and Public Health Spending Nexus in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the eight most populous nation in the world. She is currently the largest economy in Africa. Nigeria is considered to be relatively wealthy in terms of oil reserves; however, the level of poverty is still very high because of corruption and mismanagement. This study investigates the impact of public health expenditure on health outcomes in Nigeria, 1985–2019. Empirical results from the Classical Regression Analysis reveal that health expenditure by the government reduces under-5 mortality rate significantly and improves life expectancy. Furthermore, immunization against measles was found to reduce under-5 mortality rate, while prevalence of HIV reduces life expectancy. The study therefore recommends that there is need for government expenditure on health to be targeted at areas that will improve health outcomes significantly. With adequate funding and proper monitoring, a resource-abundant nation like Nigeria, can become healthier. However, if this is not done, the wealthy may not be healthy after all.

A time series analysis of government expenditure and health outcomes in Nigeria

“…This finding is similar to the evidence provided by Orji et al . (2021) 19 , which reveals that public health expenditure improves life expectancy. Our findings also support evidence from 2019 that health spending, whether public or private, improves life expectancy and lowers the death rate.…”

“…In Nigeria, increasing government health expenditure improves life expectancy and decreases the death rate. 19-21 Summarily, improvement in health performance stimulates health outcomes.…”

Impact of Public Sector Auditing in Promoting Accountability and Transparency in North Central Zone of Nigeria

“…However, Orji (2010) differ slightly in the concept of accountability as it relates to the public sector. Particularly, he opined that public sector accountability goes beyond rendering of stewardship of the officers owing to the complexities that are found in the running of the affairs of the public sector.…”

Shifting the Goalposts: Postcolonial Africa and the West in the Global “Two Publics” of the Development Paradigm

“…Writers have promoted the idea about ascribing Africa’s development crisis to colonial focus in 21st century as misleading (Nnaa et al, 2015; Orji et al, 2021), particularly for the myriads of post-independent leadership crisis (Ejimabo, 2013; Dike, 2014; Olaiya, 2014) and pervasive corrupt practices since political independence (Ijewereme, 2015). However, the enduring marks of queer state-making and manipulative leadership, autocracy and violent subjugation, and overbearing property grabs and profligacy that were endemic in the colonial officialdoms may have towered above all else and fundamentally influenced the development trajectories.…”