Impact of Health Infrastructure on Child Health in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

The objective of the study is to find the impact of health infrastructure on child health in Punjab, Pakistan. The study used the panel data collected from Punjab development statistics (PDS) between 2010 and 2016 for 35 districts of Punjab, Pakistan. The Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) is used for the current analysis. Child health in terms of infant mortality and underweight is used as dependent variable and health infrastructures, ownership of house, receiving remittances, physical access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation are independent variables. Health infrastructure is the index of four variables number of hospitals, number of dispensaries, number of mother and child health center and number of rural health centers. Results of the study conclude that health infrastructure is an important determinant of child health. There is a strong positive influence of health infrastructure in terms of different type of hospitals, dispensaries, rural health centers and mother and child health care centers is found on child health.