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Healthcare at the beginning of life and child survival: Evidence from a cash transfer experiment in Nigeria

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  • Okeke, Edward N.
  • Abubakar, Isa S.

Abstract

Households in poor countries are encouraged (and sometimes coerced) to increase investments in formal health care services during pregnancy and childbirth. Is this good policy? The answer to a large extent depends on its effects on child welfare. We study the effects of a cash transfer program in Nigeria in which households were offered a payment of $14 conditioned on uptake of health services. We show that the transfer led to a large increase in uptake and a substantial increase in child survival driven by a decrease in in-utero child deaths. We present evidence suggesting that the key driver is prenatal health investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Okeke, Edward N. & Abubakar, Isa S., 2020. "Healthcare at the beginning of life and child survival: Evidence from a cash transfer experiment in Nigeria," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:143:y:2020:i:c:s0304387819307011
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2019.102426
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    2. Raveh, Ohad & Zhang, Yan, 2022. "The Long-Term Health Effects of Oil Discoveries: Evidence from China," MPRA Paper 114059, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Christian Posso & Jorge Tamayo & Arlen Guarin & Estefania Saravia, 2024. "Luck of the Draw: The Causal Effect of Physicians on Birth Outcomes," Borradores de Economia 1269, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    4. Bauhoff,Sebastian Peter Alexander & Kandpal,Eeshani, 2021. "Information, Loss Framing, and Spillovers in Pay-for-Performance Contracts," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9687, The World Bank.
    5. Lagarde, Mylène & Riumallo Herl, Carlos, 2025. "Better together? Group incentives and the demand for prevention," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125349, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Raveh, Ohad & Zhang, Yan, . "Giant Oil Discoveries and Long-Term Health Effects: Evidence from China," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 49(2).
    7. Edward N. Okeke, 2021. "Money and my mind: Maternal cash transfers and mental health," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(11), pages 2879-2904, November.
    8. Mensah,Justice Tei & Hirfrfot,Kibrom Tafere & Abay,Kibrom A., 2022. "Saving Lives through Technology : Mobile Phones and Infant Mortality," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9978, The World Bank.
    9. Mylène Lagarde & Carlos Riumallo Herl, 2023. "Stronger together: Group incentives and the demand for prevention," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 23-0010/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    10. Rosenberg, Molly & Beidelman, Erika & Chen, Xiwei & Canning, David & Kobayashi, Lindsay & Kahn, Kathleen & Pettifor, Audrey & Kabudula, Chodziwadziwa Whiteson, 2023. "The impact of a randomized cash transfer intervention on mortality of adult household members in rural South Africa, 2011–2022," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cash transfers; Maternal health services; Child mortality; Developing countries;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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