Macroeconomics and Health: The Way Forward in the WHO African Region

Abstract

The specific objectives of this paper were: (i) to estimate the effects of life expectancy and mortality rates on the per capita gross national income; and (ii) to propose to countries in the African region a set of generic steps for implementing the action agenda recommended by WHO Commission for Macroeconomics and Health (CMH), within the context of national development plans and poverty reduction strategies. Four simple double-log (log-linear or constant elasticity) regression equations were estimated with data from the World Health Statistics 2011. The dependent variable in all equations was the logarithm of per capita gross national income.

The key findings were as follows: in equation 1 the coefficients for life expectancy and adult literacy had a positive sign and were statistically significant at 95% confidence level; in equation 2 the coefficient for under 5 mortality rate took a negative sign and was statistically significant; in equation 3 the coefficients for adult mortality rate and adult literacy were statistically significant and had expected signs; and in equation 4 the coefficient for maternal mortality was not statistically significant at 95% level of confidence but had a negative sign as expected. These results clearly show a significant correlation between per capita gross national income and life expectancy, under 5 mortality rate, and adult mortality rate. This implies that by working closely with health development partners, countries in the African region can better their economic prospects through greater investments in close-to-client health systems and increased use of proven cost-effective prevention and treatment interventions to curb mortality and increase life expectancy.

Keywords: Macroeconomics, Health, African Region, Way Forward