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The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of military expenditure on the relationship between terrorism and investment in twenty-four African countries for the period 2001 to 2018. The study utilizes fixed effects regression with Driscoll and Kraay standard error and cushions the effect of simultaneity and reverse causality using the lags of the regressors as instruments. The empirical results reveal the negative effect of terrorism on both domestic investment and foreign direct investment (FDI). The study further reveals a negative net effect of military expenditure on the relationship between terrorism and investment. Furthermore, it was discovered that a threshold of 2% to 5% of military expenditure in GDP is required for military expenditure to offset the negative effect of terrorism on FDI. The study recommends that counter-terrorism initiatives be tailored more towards inclusive growth policies, increasing access to education, and improving the quality of governance.

The object of this paper is to explain the healthcare decision process and the factors that influence medicare demand decisions of Nigerian households during a period of economic depression. It is based on a sample from a small-area analysis focusing on a relatively homogenous group. The objective of the study involved the estimation of the parameters of the demand for healthcare services in order to understand the nature of healthcare choices and the pathways to those choices that Nigerian households make under dire economic circumstances. These demand parameter estimates are considered valuable inputs into healthcare policy. Yet, to date, there is no sufficient information on the vital factors that shape households' utilization of medicare services nor is there sufficient information on the relative importance of healthcare alternatives available to them. This is the knowledge gap that this study hopes to fill. The nested logit model was found to be an appropriate functional form for the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Corruption is widespread in Nigeria's health sector but the reasons why it exists and persists are poorly understood and it is often seen as intractable. We describe a consensus building exercise in which we asked health workers and policy-makers to identify and prioritise feasible responses to corruption in the Nigerian health sector., Methods: We employed three sequential activities. First, a narrative literature review identified which types of corruption are reported in the Nigerian health system. Second, we asked 21 frontline health workers to add to what was found in the review (based on their own experiences) and prioritise them, based on their significance and the feasibility of assessing them, by means of a consensus building exercise using a Nominal Group Technique (NGT). Third, we presented their assessments in a meeting of 25 policy-makers to offer their views on the practicality of implementing appropriate measures., Results: Participants identified 49 corrupt practices from the literature review and their own experience as most important in the Nigerian health system. The NGT prioritised: absenteeism, procurement-related corruption, under-the-counter payments, health financing-related corruption, and employment-related corruption. This largely reflected findings from the literature review, except for the greater emphasis on employment-related corruption from the NGT. Absenteeism, Informal payments and employment-related corruption were seen as most feasible to tackle. Frontline workers and policy-makers agreed that tackling corrupt practices requires a range of approaches., Conclusion: Corruption is recognized in Nigeria as widespread but often seems insurmountable. We show how a structured approach can achieve consensus among multiple stakeholders, a crucial first step in mobilizing action to address corruption.

Background: Various attempts to examine health financing mechanisms in Nigeria highlight the fact that there is no single mechanism that fits all contexts and people. This paper sets out findings of an in-depth assessment of different health financing mechanisms in Nigeria., Methods: The study was undertaken in the Federal Capital territory of Nigeria and two States (Niger and Kaduna). Data were collected through review of government documents, and in-depth interviews of purposively selected respondents. Data analysis was guided by a conceptual framework which draws from various approaches for assessing health financing mechanisms. Data was examined for current practices, what needs to change and how the change can happen., Results: Health financing mechanisms in Nigeria do not operate optimally. Allocation and use of resources are neither evidence-based nor results-driven. Resources are not allocated equitably or in a manner that minimizes wastage and improves efficiency. None of the mechanisms effectively protects individuals/households from catastrophic health expenditure. Issues with social health insurance cut across legal frameworks and use of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) as purchasers. The concomitant effect is that attainment of Universal Health Coverage is greatly compromised. In order to improve efficiency of health financing mechanisms, government needs to allocate more funds for purchasing health services; this spending must be based on evidence (strategic), and appropriately tracked. The legislation that established National Health Insurance Scheme should be amended such that social health insurance becomes mandatory for all citizens. Implementation of the latter should be complemented by revision of benefit package, strict oversight and regulation of HMOs., Conclusion: In order to improve health financing in the country, legal and regulatory frameworks need to be revised. Efficient utilization of resources could be improved through strategic purchasing arrangements and strict oversight.

West African countries are ranked especially low in global corruption perception indexes. The health sector is often singled out for particular concern given the role of corruption in hampering access to, and utilization of health services, representing a major barrier to progress to universal health coverage and to achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. The first step in tackling corruption systematically is to understand its scale and nature. We present a systematic review of literature that explores corruption involving front-line healthcare providers, their managers and other stakeholders in health sectors in the five Anglophone West African (AWA) countries: Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, identifying motivators and drivers of corrupt practices and interventions that have been adopted or proposed. Boolean operators were adopted to optimize search outputs and identify relevant studies. Both grey and published literature were identified from Research Gate, Yahoo, Google Scholar, Google and PubMed, and reviewed and synthesized around key domains, with 61 publications meeting our inclusion criteria. The top five most prevalent/frequently reported corrupt practices were (1) absenteeism; (2) diversion of patients to private facilities; (3) inappropriate procurement; (4) informal payments; and (5) theft of drugs and supplies. Incentives for corrupt practices and other manifestations of corruption in the AWA health sector were also highlighted, while poor working conditions and low wages fuel malpractice. Primary research on anti-corruption strategies in health sectors in AWA remains scarce, with recommendations to curb corrupt practices often drawn from personal views and experience rather that of rigorous studies. We argue that a nuanced understanding of all types of corruption and their impacts is an important precondition to designing viable contextually appropriate anti-corruption strategies. It is a particular challenge to identify and tackle corruption in settings where formal rules are fluid or insufficiently enforced., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.)

Background: A special health fund was established in Nigeria in 2014 and is known as the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). The fund is equivalent to at least 1% of the Consolidated Revenue of the Federation. The BHCPF will provide additional revenue to fund primary healthcare services and help Nigeria to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). This fund is to be matched with counterpart funds from states and local government areas (LGAs), and is expected to provide at least a basic benefit health package that will cover maternal and child health (MCH) services for pregnant women and under-five children. Objective: To determine the financial feasibility of using the BHCPF to provide a minimum benefit package to cover all pregnant women and under-five children in Nigeria. Methods: The study focused on three states in Nigeria: Imo, Kaduna, and Niger. The feasibility analysis was performed using 3 scenarios but the main analysis was Scenario 1, which was based on the funding of drugs and consumables only. All the costs and revenues were in 2015 levels. The standard costs of a minimum benefit package for the different states were multiplied by the number of target beneficiaries to determine the amount required for the year. Financial feasibility is determined by the excess or otherwise of revenue over costs. Findings: It was found that in the best case funding scenario of using 95% of the CRF with 25% counterpart funding from states and LGAs, the entire available funds were not adequate to cover the benefit package for all the pregnant women and under-five children in the three states. The funds were also inadequate to cover the target beneficiaries that live below the poverty line in two of the states. Conclusion: The BHCPF is a good step toward providing essential MCH services, but the current level of funding will not assure UHC for all the target beneficiaries. However, the available funds should be used immediately to target priority mothers and children such as vulnerable groups, whilst sourcing for additional funds to ensure universal coverage of MCH services.

Background: The global focus on promoting Universal Health Coverage has drawn attention to the need to increase public domestic funding for health care in low- and middle-income countries., Objectives: This article examines whether increased tax revenue in the three territories of Kenya, Lagos State (Nigeria) and South Africa was accompanied by improved resource allocation to their public health sectors, and explores the reasons underlying the observed trends., Methods: Three case studies were conducted by different research teams using a common mixed methods approach. Quantitative data were extracted from official government financial reports and used to describe trends in general tax revenue, total government expenditure and government spending on the health sector and other sectors in the first decade of this century. Twenty-seven key informant interviews with officials in Ministries of Health and Finance were used to explore the contextual factors, actors and processes accounting for the observed trends. A thematic content analysis allowed this qualitative information to be compared and contrasted between territories., Findings: Increased tax revenue led to absolute increases in public health spending in all three territories, but not necessarily in real per capita terms. However, in each of the territories, the percentage of the government budget allocated to health declined for much of the period under review. Factors contributing to this trend include: inter-sectoral competition in priority setting; the extent of fiscal federalism; the Ministry of Finance's perception of the health sector's absorptive capacity; weak investment cases made by the Ministry of Health; and weak parliamentary and civil society involvement., Conclusion: Despite dramatic improvements in tax revenue collection, fiscal space for health in the three territories did not improve. Ministries of Health must strengthen their ability to motivate for larger allocations from government revenue through demonstrating improved performance and the relative benefits of health investments.

The study examined the burden of out-of-pocket spending (OOPS) to households, because available data showed that OOPS dominates household expenditure on health in Nigeria. The study took place in rural and urban districts in Nigeria. A household questionnaire was used to collect data from 4873 households on their healthcare expenditures and payment mechanisms by using a 1-month expenditure recall period. Financing incidence analysis was assessed at the household level on the basis of socio-economic status (SES) groups and rural-urban location of the households. Concentration curves of OOPS were plotted with the Lorenz curve of total household expenditures to show the distribution of the burden of OOPS by SES compared with total household expenditure. The Kakwani index was computed to examine the overall progressivity or regressivity of OOPS. There was lack of financial risk protection for healthcare in the study area. The results showed that 3150 (98.8%) of payments were made using OOPS, nine (0.3%) using reimbursement by employers, one (0.03%) through private voluntary health insurance (PVHI), nine (0.3%) using instalment and 14 (0.44%) through 'others'. The average monthly household OOPS was 2219.1 Naira. The Kakwani index for financing incidence of OOPS was -0.18, showing that OOPS was regressive. The most-poor SES groups and rural dwellers experienced the highest burden of health expenditure. Urgent steps should be taken by the government to increase or enhance universal coverage in the country with financial protection mechanisms such as the National Health Insurance Scheme in addition to possibly abolishing some of the user fees that cause high incidence and burden of OOPS., (Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: Information on the cost of mental health services in Africa is very limited even though mental health disorders represent a significant public health concern, in terms of health and economic impact. Cost analysis is important for planning and for efficiency in the provision of hospital services., Study Aim: The study estimated the total and unit costs of psychiatric hospital services to guide policy and psychiatric hospital management efficiency in Nigeria., Methods: The study was exploratory and analytical, examining 2008 data. A standard costing methodology based on ingredient approach was adopted combining top-down method with step-down approach to allocate resources (overhead and indirect costs) to the final cost centers. Total and unit cost items related to the treatment of psychiatric patients (including the costs of personnel, overhead and annualised costs of capital items) were identified and measured on the basis of outpatients' visits, inpatients' days and inpatients' admissions. The exercise reflected the input-output process of hospital services where inputs were measured in terms of resource utilisation and output measured by activities carried out at both the outpatient and inpatient departments. In the estimation process total costs were calculated at every cost center/department and divided by a measure of corresponding patient output to produce the average cost per output. This followed a stepwise process of first allocating the direct costs of overhead to the intermediate and final cost centers and from intermediate cost centers to final cost centers for the calculation of total and unit costs. Costs were calculated from the perspective of the healthcare facility, and converted to the US Dollars at the 2008 exchange rate., Results: Personnel constituted the greatest resource input in all departments, averaging 80% of total hospital cost, reflecting the mix of capital and recurrent inputs. Cost per inpatient day, at $56 was equivalent to 1.4 times the cost per outpatient visit at $41, while cost per emergency visit was about two times the cost per outpatient visit. The cost of one psychiatric inpatient admission averaged $3,675, including the costs of drugs and laboratory services, which was equivalent to the cost of 90 outpatients' visits. Cost of drugs was about 4.4% of the total costs and each prescription averaged $7.48. The male ward was the most expensive cost center. Levels of subsidization for inpatient services were over 90% while ancillary services were not subsidized hence full cost recovery., Conclusion: The hospital costs were driven by personnel which reflected the mix of inputs that relied most on technical manpower. The unit cost estimates are significantly higher than the upper limit range for low income countries based on the WHO-CHOICE estimates. Findings suggest a scope for improving efficiency of resource use given the high proportion of fixed costs which indicates excess capacity. Adequate research is needed for effective comparisons and valid assessment of efficiency in psychiatric hospital services in Africa. The unit cost estimates will be useful in making projections for total psychiatric hospital package and a basis for determining the cost of specific neuropsychiatric cases.

Objectives: To determine the inequities in the household income depletion resulting from malaria treatment expenditures, the sacrifice of basic household needs (catastrophe) and the differences in payment strategies among different socio-economic and geographic groups in southeast Nigeria., Methods: Data were gathered through pre-tested, structured questionnaires from a random sample of 2 250 householders in rural and urban parts of southeast Nigeria. The level of catastrophic malaria treatment expenditure was computed as the percentage of average monthly malaria treatment expenditure divided by the average monthly non-food household expenditure, using a threshold of 5%. Socio-economic inequity was established using a socio-economic status (SES) index, while a rural-urban comparison examined geographic disparities., Results: The average cost to treat a case of malaria was 796.5 Naira ($6.64) for adults and 789.0 Naira ($6.58) for children. The monthly malaria treatment expenditure as a proportion of monthly household non-food expenditure was 7.8%, 8.5%, 5.5% and 3.9% for the most poor, very poor, poor and least poor SES groups respectively. Malaria treatment accounted for 7.1% and 5.0% of non-food expenditures for rural and urban dwellers, respectively. More than 95% of the people financed their treatment through out-of-pocket payment (OOP), with no SES and rural-urban variance, as opposed to insurance payment mechanisms and fee exemptions., Conclusion: There were socio-economic and geographic inequities in the financial burden resulting from malaria treatment. The treatment expenditure depleted more of the aggregate income of the two worse-off SES (Q1 and Q2) and of the rural dwellers. Government and donor agencies should institute the abolition of user fees for malaria, the transition from OOP to pre-payment mechanisms and the improvement of physical access to appropriate malaria treatment services, as well as subsidies and deferrals in order to engender financial risk protection from malaria treatment.

Objectives: To examine the extent to which costs of subsidized antiretrovirals treatment (ART) programmes are catastrophic and the benefit incidence that accrues to different population groups., Methods: Data on expenditures to patients for receiving treatment from a government subsidized ART clinic was collected using a questionnaire. The patient costs excluded time and other indirect costs. Catastrophic cost was determined as the percentage of total expenditure on ART treatment as a proportion of household non-food expenditures on essential items., Results: On average, patients spent 990 Naira (US$ 8.3) on antiretroviral (ARV) drugs per month. They also spent an average of $8.2 on other drugs per month. However, people that bought ARV drugs from elsewhere other than the ART clinic spent an average of $88.8 per month. Patients spent an average of $95.1 on laboratory tests per month. Subsidized ARV drugs depleted 9.8% of total household expenditure, other drugs (e.g. for opportunistic infections) depleted 9.7%, ARV drugs from elsewhere depleted 105%, investigations depleted 112.9% and total expenditure depleted 243.2%. The level of catastrophe was generally more with females, rural dwellers and most poor patients. Females and urbanites had more benefit incidence than males and rural dwellers., Conclusion: Subsidized ART programme lowers the cost of ARV drugs but other major costs are still incurred, which make the overall cost of accessing and consuming ART treatment to be excessive and catastrophic. The costs of laboratory tests and other drugs should be subsidized and there should also be targeting of ART programme to ensure that more rural dwellers and the most-poor people have increased benefit incidence.