IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/jintdv/v38y2026i1p48-70.html

Public Health Spending Efficiency in Sub‐Saharan African Countries: How to Deal With Public Debt and Fiscal Deficit?

Author

Listed:
  • Yrkamba Bienvenu Amakoue
  • Askandarou Cheik Diallo

Abstract

This paper empirically examines the impact of public debt and fiscal deficit on public health spending efficiency (PHSE) using data from 36 Sub‐Saharan African countries between 2000 and 2019. PHSE scores are calculated via bias‐corrected data envelopment analysis (bootstrap DEA), and a beta regression approach estimates the effects of debt and deficit on PHSE. Findings indicate that most SSA countries have low PHSE scores. Higher public debt and fiscal deficits are negatively associated with PHSE. The impact varies with fiscal rules adoption and public financial management performance. Results are robust across different samples, efficiency measures, estimation methods and additional controls.

Suggested Citation

  • Yrkamba Bienvenu Amakoue & Askandarou Cheik Diallo, 2026. "Public Health Spending Efficiency in Sub‐Saharan African Countries: How to Deal With Public Debt and Fiscal Deficit?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(1), pages 48-70, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:38:y:2026:i:1:p:48-70
    DOI: 10.1002/jid.70032
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.70032
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/jid.70032?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:38:y:2026:i:1:p:48-70. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/5102/home .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.