Climate Change, Fiscal Fragility and Child Health in Lower Middle Income in Sub-Sahara Africa Countries

Good health and well-being are one of the sustainable development goals by United Nation. The aim is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for everyone, at all ages. However, the immediate challenges of climate change and fiscal fragility have jeopardized citizens’ well-being. Despite government’s endeavor to mitigate these issues, it has proven inadequate. Invariably Its prompt inquiry in to how climate change and fiscal fragility impact child health. Therefore, this study investigates the effect of climate change and fiscal fragility on child health in the lower and middle – income Sub Saharan African countries. It was centered on the social determinants of health theory and included data spanning from 2000 to 2022. It includes indicators like under five mortality, maternal mortality rate, Carbon dioxide emissions, debt-to-GDP ratio, current health expenditure, inflation Consumer Price Index, Immunization (DPT % of children ages 12-23Months). To assess the impact of Climate change and fiscal fragility on child health, the study employed the Panel Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square. The finding indicates that both climate change and fiscal fragility have adverse impact on child health, and a percentage increase in climate change worsen child heath in Lower- and Middle-Income Sub-Saharan African Countries by 0.058% to 0.075% and a percentage increase in fiscal fragility reducing child health quality by 0.010% to 0.023%. Moreover, under -five mortality and maternal mortality rates are also influenced, with climate change and fiscal fragility leading to percentage increases in under-five mortality ranging from 0.571% to 0.729% and 0.005% to 0.069%, and in maternal mortality rates from 0.405% to 0.466% and 0.052% to 0.093% respectively. Following from the above findings, the study concluded that climate change and fiscal fragility has detrimental effect on child health. Consequently, the study recommended that policy makers should prioritize climate resilience measures and enhance financial stability including prudent financial management and investments in healthcare infrastructure.