Healthcare Financing and Under-5 Child Mortality Among the BRICS Nations

Abstract

This article explores longitudinal trends of healthcare financing and mortality levels among the children under 5 (U5) years of age in the BRICS nations between 2000 and 2015. This analysis is based on the relevant secondary data obtained from the WHO data repository and various other publicly available sources. Inferential statistical tools like linear regression analysis was carried out to test the relationship between dependent and independent variables. The results indicate an inverse relationship between current health expenditure and U5 child deaths, revealing a decline of 29,000 U5 child deaths and 19,000 infant deaths for every US$1increase in per capita healthcare expenditure. Further, neonatal deaths declined by 1.74% and infant deaths 2.8%, while U5 child deaths declined by 4.6% per annum. India spends lowest among the BRICS nations—about US$63 per capita, while out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) is highest at 69.3%. Countries with higher per capita government health expenditure have better health indicators. This article, therefore, calls for strengthening public investment in healthcare to improve health outcomes.