Healthcare spending and health outcomes: evidence from selected East African countries

Background: Over the last decade, total healthcare expenditures, comprised of both public and private healthcare expenditures, have increased in most East African countries. At the same time, health outcomes such as infant mortality rates, life expectancy at birth and other health outcome indicators have improved.Objectives: This paper examines the association between healthcare expenditures and health outcomes for eight East African countries: Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. In this study, health outcomes are defined as an improvement in adult life expectancy and a reduction in the number of neonatal, infant, and under-five deaths.Methods: We implemented a panel data regression technique, analyzing both cross-sectional and time series information. This combined method has been used in healthcare studies by several authors. Data obtained from world development indicators for the years 2000-2014 was used for the panel study.Results: First, we documented that there is a strong, positive association between total healthcare expenditures and total life expectancy. While we identified a positive relationship between healthcare expenditures and female and male life expectancy, we found that healthcare had a stronger effect on improving life expectancy in females than in males. Moreover, we found a negative relationship between healthcare expenditures and the number of neonatal, infant, and under-five deaths.Conclusion: The results of this study have important policy and management implications for the eight East African countries. From a policy perspective, it is necessary to understand if a greater allocation of resources to the healthcare sector is worthwhile and to determine whether to encourage private healthcare investment. From the management perspective, investing in more private institutions, such as hospitals and clinics, is essential for health outcomes in the average country. The results of this study can be used by the World Health Organization as well as other non-governmental organizations that provide financial assistance to East African countries.Keywords: Healthcare expenditures, health outcome, life expectancy, infant deaths, under-five deaths, neonatal death

Investigating the causality between financial inclusion, financial development and sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa economies: The mediating role of foreign direct investment

In developing economies, the role of the financial sector and foreign capital in the stimulation of sustainable production practices has not been very clear cut. In a bid to obtain a much clearer empirical perspective, the present study investigates the causal relationship between financial development, financial inclusion, foreign direct investment (FDI) and sustainable development in a panel of 33 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) economies within the 2004–2018 study periods. Panel cointegration tests uncover the presence of a long-run relationship among the variables in the model. Prior to determining the direction of causality, panel estimation procedures show the magnitude and signs of the long run coefficients. Panel Granger causality tests uncover bidirectional causality between financial inclusion and FDI as well as between financial development and FDI. Also uncovered is unidirectional causality from FDI towards sustainable development and resource rents. This study suggests that the policymakers in SSA should optimize the level of financial development which requires a vigorous improvement so as to ensure higher potential benefits for the sustainability of SSA region through financial sector

Healthcare spending and health outcomes: evidence from selected East African countries

Background: Over the last decade, total healthcare expenditures, comprised of both public and private healthcare expenditures, have increased in most East African countries. At the same time, health outcomes such as infant mortality rates, life expectancy at birth and other health outcome indicators have improved. Objectives: This paper examines the association between healthcare expenditures and health outcomes for eight East African countries: Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. In this study, health outcomes are defined as an improvement in adult life expectancy and a reduction in the number of neonatal, infant, and under-five deaths. Methods: We implemented a panel data regression technique, analyzing both cross-sectional and time series information. This combined method has been used in healthcare studies by several authors. Data obtained from world development indicators for the years 2000-2014 was used for the panel study. Results: First, we documented that there is a strong, positive association between total healthcare expenditures and total life expectancy. While we identified a positive relationship between healthcare expenditures and female and male life expectancy, we found that healthcare had a stronger effect on improving life expectancy in females than in males. Moreover, we found a negative relationship between healthcare expenditures and the number of neonatal, infant, and under-five deaths. Conclusion: The results of this study have important policy and management implications for the eight East African countries. From a policy perspective, it is necessary to understand if a greater allocation of resources to the healthcare sector is worthwhile and to determine whether to encourage private healthcare investment. From the management perspective, investing in more private institutions, such as hospitals and clinics, is essential for health outcomes in the average country. The results of this study can be used by the World Health Organization as well as other non-governmental organizations that provide financial assistance to East African countries

Growth Strategy, Technological Innovation and Performance of Manufacturing Firms in Southwest Nigeria

Growth strategy is critical to the performance of small and medium enterprises (SME) in an economy. This study examined the moderating effect of technological innovation on growth strategy and performance of SMEs. It adopts quantitative approach, and used 361 copies of questionnaire were distributed among SME owners in Southwest Nigeria and analysed with Structural Equation Modelling (SMART PLS). Results shows significant relationships between growth strategy and SMEs performance and technological innovation reinforces the relationships. It indicates that product development has 78% predictability on performance of SME, also 58% of variance in performance of SME is explained by market penetration. Market development has 73% predicting effect on performance of SME, and also that 70% of variance in performance of small and medium enterprise is explained by product diversification. It is recommended that owners of SMEs should invest in quality and diversified products, and invest in research and development that encourages intrapreneurship

Growth Strategy, Technological Innovation and Performance of Manufacturing Firms in Southwest Nigeria

GroJIIth strategy is critical to the peiformance of small and medium enterprises (SME) in an economy. This stutjy examined the moderating effect of technological innovation on growth strategy and peiformance of SMEs. It adopts quantitative approach, and used 361 copies of questionnaire wen distributed among Si\tlE o1vners in So11thwest Nigeria and anajysed 1vith Stmctural E quation Modelling (51\IIART PLS). Results shows significant relationships between growth strategy and SME s peiformance and technological innovation reinforces the relationships. It indicates that product development has 18% predictability on peiformance of SME, also 58% of variance in peiformance of SME is explained f:y market penetration. Market development has 13% predicting effect on peiformance of SME, and also that 10% of variance in peiformance of small and medium enterprise is explained 0 product diversification. It is recommended that o1vners of SME s should invest in quality and diversified products, and invest in research and development that encourages intraprenetmhip