Abstract:
Despite evidence on the importance of disaggregated components of health
financing (public, private and external health aid), little is known about the
role governance performs in the relationship between disaggregated health
financing components and infant mortality. Using panel data of 42 sub-Sahara
African countries (SSA) for the period 2000-2016, this study analyses the
differential effect of disaggregated components of health financing on infant
mortality in SSA as well as across its sub-regional groups. The study also
examines the confounding effect of governance in the relationship between
disaggregated components of health financing and infant mortality. The study
uses the Generalised Method of Moment (System-GMM) technique along
with the Principal Component Analysis (CPA) to construct a governance index
from three governance indicators (government effectiveness, control of
corruption and regulatory quality). The study finds that each disaggregated
component of health financing has a significant negative effect on infant
mortality in SSA, albeit there exists regional disparities across SSA. The study
also finds that governance has negative and significant confounding effects on
the relationship between each disaggregated health-financing component and
infant mortality in SSA. In terms of policy recommendations, Ministries of
Health in respective SSA countries should strengthen partnership with foreign
donors in the fight against infant mortality. Moreover, audit departments of
Ministries of Health in respective SSA countries should strengthen regulations
that guide health expenditure to have higher reduction in infant mortality level
