Abstract
The role of investment in human resources and subsequent multiplier on the economic growth of any nation has been adequately addressed in the literature. Education, a major investment in human resources helps in improving the productivity of labour in the labour market and also in influencing children mental alertness and health outcomes. Maternal education and public health programmes have been found to impact positively on child morbidity in developed countries thereby contributing to the growth of any economy, which will bring about sustainable development and inclusive growth. This work therefore examines the influence of maternal education and public health programmes on child health (morbidity) in Nigeria using the Harmonised Nigeria Living Standard Survey (2009). Descriptive Statistics and two stage least square estimation procedure were used to analyse the data. The results revealed a negative relationship between child immunisation and child health (morbidity) in Nigeria. Equally, the study found out that improving girl child education will go a long way in improving child morbidity. Based on our findings, the study recommends adequate publicity for public health programmes. Also, household income enhancing interventions should be put in place, doing this will go a long way in improving child health and survival, which in the long-run will improve per-capita income and consumption.
Highlights
Introduction and the BackgroundDeveloped countries of the world have recorded improvement in their health indices and outcomes due to government investment in health and education, the reverse is the case for most African countries including Nigeria, despite her huge resources and annual budgetary provisions for health and education
Maternal education and public health programmes have been found to impact positively on child morbidity in developed countries thereby contributing to the growth of any economy, which will bring about sustainable development and inclusive growth
This work examines the influence of maternal education and public health programmes on child health in Nigeria using the Harmonised Nigeria Living Standard Survey (2009)
Summary
Developed countries of the world have recorded improvement in their health indices and outcomes due to government investment in health and education, the reverse is the case for most African countries including Nigeria, despite her huge resources and annual budgetary provisions for health and education. Adult literacy rate is 56% and percentage of male is 67%, which is much higher than females. Vivid examinations of these statistics have shown that child survival and maternal health are adversely affected. Studies have shown that child health in Nigeria is affected by; nutritional deficiencies and diseases such as malaria, diarrheal, acute respiratory infection and a host of others. This study attempts to examine the effect of mother’s education and the level of responses of mothers to public health intervention programmes on child’s health and survival. This paper has been divided into five sections as follows: section two reviews the relevant literatures, child morbidity and public health programmes in Nigeria is the major pre-occupation of section three. Section four is the theoretical framework, methodology, results presentation and discussion, while section five concludes and gives policy implications
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