Public Spending on Health and Childhood Mortality in India

The present study attempts to investigate the association between public spending on health and childhood mortality in India; using time-series cross-sectional data from various government sources for the period 1985-2009. Infant and child (age 1 to 4 years) mortality rates were used as the indicators for childhood mortality. Ordinary least squares, generalized least squares and fixed effects regression models were used to investigate the association between public spending on health and childhood mortality. The findings suggest insignificant association between public spending on health and childhood mortality both at the country level and for the EAG states. On the contrary, per capita state income and female literacy were significantly associated with improved childhood survival. Percentage of the population living below the poverty line was significantly associated with infant and child mortality only in the EAG states. The findings call for a number of other measures along with increased public spending on health to reduce infant and child mortality in India.