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Effects of the free healthcare policy on maternal and child health in Burkina Faso: a nationwide evaluation using interrupted time-series analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Patrick Gueswendé Ilboudo

    (African Population and Health Research Center)

  • Alain Siri

    (Secrétariat Permanent du Plan National de Développement Economique et Social (SP/PNDES)
    Institut des Sciences des Sociétés)

Abstract

Background Burkina Faso has recently instituted a free healthcare policy for women and children under five. This comprehensive study examined the effects of this policy on the use of services, health outcomes, and removal of costs. Methods Interrupted time-series regressions were used to investigate the effects of the policy on the use of health services and health outcomes. In addition, an analysis of household expenditures was conducted to assess the effects of spending on delivery, care for children, and other exempted (antenatal, postnatal, etc.) services on household expenditures. Results The findings show that the user fee removal policy significantly increased the use of healthcare facilities for child consultations and reduced mortality from severe malaria in children under the age of five years. It also has increased the use of health facilities for assisted deliveries, complicated deliveries, and second antenatal visits, and reduced cesarean deliveries and intrahospital infant mortality, although not significantly. While the policy has failed to remove all costs, it decreased household costs to some extent. In addition, the effects of the user fee removal policy seemed higher in districts with non-compromised security for most of the studied indicators. Conclusions Given the positive effects, the findings of this investigation support the pursuit of implementing the free healthcare policy for maternal and child care.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick Gueswendé Ilboudo & Alain Siri, 2023. "Effects of the free healthcare policy on maternal and child health in Burkina Faso: a nationwide evaluation using interrupted time-series analysis," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:hecrev:v:13:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1186_s13561-023-00443-w
    DOI: 10.1186/s13561-023-00443-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chitalu M. Chama-Chiliba & Steven F. Koch, 2014. "Assessing regional variation in the effect of the removal of user fees on institutional deliveries in rural Zambia," Working Papers 427, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    2. Xu, Ke & Evans, David B. & Kadama, Patrick & Nabyonga, Juliet & Ogwal, Peter Ogwang & Nabukhonzo, Pamela & Aguilar, Ana Mylena, 2006. "Understanding the impact of eliminating user fees: Utilization and catastrophic health expenditures in Uganda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(4), pages 866-876, February.
    3. Storeng, Katerini Tagmatarchi & Baggaley, Rebecca F. & Ganaba, Rasmané & Ouattara, Fatoumata & Akoum, Mélanie S. & Filippi, Véronique, 2008. "Paying the price: The cost and consequences of emergency obstetric care in Burkina Faso," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(3), pages 545-557, February.
    4. Asfaw, Abay & Braun, Joachim von & Klasen, Stephan, 2004. "How Big is the Crowding-Out Effect of User Fees in the Rural Areas of Ethiopia? Implications for Equity and Resources Mobilization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(12), pages 2065-2081, December.
    5. Thomas Druetz & Federica Fregonese & Aristide Bado & Tieba Millogo & Seni Kouanda & Souleymane Diabaté & Slim Haddad, 2015. "Abolishing Fees at Health Centers in the Context of Community Case Management of Malaria: What Effects on Treatment-Seeking Practices for Febrile Children in Rural Burkina Faso?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(10), pages 1-14, October.
    6. Masiye, Felix & Chitah, Bona M. & McIntyre, Diane, 2010. "From targeted exemptions to user fee abolition in health care: Experience from rural Zambia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(4), pages 743-750, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mark Bigool, 2024. "Effects of free maternal healthcare on stunting in children under five years of age: Evidence from Ghana," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 42(4), July.

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