Public Health Expenditure and Infant Mortality Rate in Nigeria: New Empirical Insight from the ARDL Model
Keywords:
Public Health expenditure, Infant mortality, Granger Causality, ARDL Bound TestingAbstract
This study investigates the impact of public health expenditure on infant mortality in Nigeria within 42 years (1980–2021). Secondary data were sourced from the World Development Indicators (WDI). The study employed several econometric techniques, including the Phillips-Perron (PP) unit root test, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach, the ARDL estimation technique, and the Granger causality test. Post-estimation diagnostic tests were conducted to ensure the robustness and validity of the empirical results. The findings indicate that public health expenditure exerts a strong, negative, and statistically significant effect on infant mortality in Nigeria. Furthermore, household disposable income (HHDI) and physician density (PHDE) exhibit a bi-directional causal relationship with infant mortality. The study recommends that the Nigerian government prioritize increased investment in public health, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged regions, as a means of improving population health outcomes, reducing infant mortality, and enhancing overall living standards.
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