Impact of Health Sector Reform on Nigeria’s Economic Development: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model Approach

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of health sector reforms on Nigeria’s economic growth from 1970-2013. The method of analysis is the Bound F-Test approach. The result shows that there is a long-run co-integrating relationship existing among the variables of GDP per capita, improved sanitation facilities (LISF), mortality rate under 5 years (LMTU 5) and Out-of-pocket expenditure (LOPE). It also shows that 58% of the total variation in GDP per capita is accounted for by the changes in LHIV/AID, LISF, LMTUS and LOPE. We therefore, recommend a universal policy of healthcare system that will guarantee the populaces’ access to healthcare services. Similarly, there is need to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses, healthcare beneficiaries incur in Nigeria.