Health aid and child mortality in Africa: Evidence from disaggregated analysis

Abstract

Background:The international development community has been instrumental in eliniminating child deaths via its major intervention programmes, especially as it relates to bridging the finance gap of developing countries. The paper assesses the effect of health aid and its sub-categories on child mortality. Method:This was achieved by employing the System Generalized Method of Moment (SGMM) dynamic panel data estimator approach. Findings:The study found that health targeted aid was capable of reducing child death but its effectiveness declined by about 40 percent and 80 percent when controlled for institutional quality and socio-political instability respectively. Among the sub-categories, child health outcome was more responsive to aid targeting child health, newborn health, maternal health and malaria control.Conclusion:The evidence obtained would be useful in channeling resources towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which entails ending preventable deaths of children under 5 years of age.