Benefit incidence analysis of health care services provision in Cameroon

Equity in access to healthcare services is both an important goal and a key prerequisite for achieving universal health coverage. This study analyzes the incidence of healthcare service provision in Cameroon. It draws on data from the most recent Cameroonian household survey (ECAM 4) and public health expenditure data from the Ministry of Health (MoH). The benefits derived from the use of the three formal healthcare service providers (public, private, and NGO) are considered. The decomposition of a concentration index of healthcare service provision makes it possible to quantify the relative contributions of different healthcare providers across socio-economic groups, taking their needs into account. Public healthcare providers were found to be the most pro-poor, with a concentration index of -0.224. NGOs also favored the poor, as indicated by a concentration index of -0.17. Private providers were less pro-poor, with a concentration index of -0.15. The use of healthcare services by the poorest depends both on their health status (age, sex, illnesses) - except for the 30–59 age group and hypertension cases - and on other factors such as education level, marital status, or rural residence. Our analysis reveals that the utilization rate of public healthcare services remains low compared to that of private providers. Therefore, it is recommended that authorities invest more in public health facilities and in the quality of their services to increase the use of public healthcare by the poorest.