HEALTH ASSIGNMENT

NAME: STEPHANIE ACHEAMPONG

INSTITUTION: KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY

HEALTH ASSIGNMENT

Introduction

In the realm of public policy and economic planning, few investments are as fundamental and

far-reaching as those made in the health and well-being of a nation's youngest citizens. The

Ministry of Finance's decision to embark on a comprehensive assessment of the economic

benefits stemming from investments in exclusive breastfeeding in Ghana marks a pivotal

moment in the nation's commitment to its future generations. Over the past decade, the

government has dedicated substantial resources to promote and support exclusive breastfeeding,

recognizing its profound impact on infant health, maternal well-being, and its contribution to

growth of the country (Danso et al., 2014; Konlan et al., 2023). This paper delves into the

economic benefits of exclusive breastfeeding from 2010 to 2020, aiming to shed light on the

contribution of exclusive breastfeeding on economic benefits in the country.

Exclusive breastfeeding, defined as the practice of feeding infants with only breast milk during

their first six months of life, is more than a simple act of nourishment (Mohammed et al., 2023).

The increasing expenditure on the exclusive breastfeeding program during this period is

indicative of Ghana's commitment to the well-being of its infants and mothers.

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Problem Statement

This study endeavors to ascertain the economic benefits derived from investments made in the

exclusive breastfeeding program by the government between 2010 and 2020. Amidst substantial

fiscal allocations, a comprehensive assessment of the economic benefits of this program is

essential. This study aims to quantify the economic gains associated with the increased coverage

of exclusive breastfeeding during this timeframe, serving as a critical foundation for evidence-

based policymaking and resource allocation in the future

Estimation technique

This study uses the simple Ordinary least squares (OLS) to examine the relationship between

breastfeeding and economic benefits. OLS regression is appropriate for this analysis as it

provides a straightforward method to assess the linear relationship between breastfeeding

practices and GDP, making it suitable for initial exploration and interpretation without the

complexities associated with more advanced models. Additionally, OLS regression allows for a

clear and intuitive interpretation of the coefficients, aiding in policy recommendations. The data

used for this analysis included Gross Domestic Product, exclusive breastfeeding, that is

breastfeeding from 0 to 6 months, maternal death, infant mortality and health spending as a

proxy for investments into exclusive breastfeeding. The data for this analysis was sourced from

World Development Indicators.

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Results of the study

From Figure 1, it shows a constant exclusive breastfeeding, with an undulating GDP. Again

figure 2 shows a rising GDP with a constant health spending. This means that, exclusive

breastfeeding does not contribute much to GDP and health spending.

From Table 1 below, it is realized that, exclusive breastfeeding (bF0to6months) leads to a

significant decrease in GDP. It is significant because the p- value is less than 0.05. Exclusive

breast feeding does decrease GDP growth rate because the apparent decrease in GDP associated

with exclusive breastfeeding for the first 0 to 6 months of a child's life can be understood

intuitively through several factors. Thus, initially, exclusive breastfeeding often requires mothers

to take time off work or reduce their working hours, which can temporarily reduce their income

and thus contribute to a slight drop in overall GDP the initial decrease in GDP linked to

exclusive breastfeeding for the first 0 to 6 months arises because mothers may need to take time

off work or reduce their working hours to provide breast milk exclusively. This reduction in their

labor force participation can lead to a temporary decline in overall economic output. From the

results, maternal death and health spending insignificantly leads to a positive increase in GDP.

Table 2 presents the data used for overall analysis.

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Figure 1

Chart Title
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GDP BFOto 6months

Figure 2

Chart Title
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GDP healthspending

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Table 1
GDP Coef. St.Err. t-value p-value [95% Conf Interval] Sig

Bf0to6months -2.953e+09 8.760e+08 -3.37 .028 -5.385e+09 -5.205e+08 **

Health spending 2.250e+09 6.464e+09 0.35 .745 -1.570e+10 2.020e+10

Maternal death 70723928 54431579 1.30 .264 -80402362 2.219e+08

Constant -3.110e+10 1.392e+11 -0.22 .834 -4.177e+11 3.555e+11

Mean dependent var 49548855272.500 SD dependent var 10949095613.281

R-squared 0.784 Number of obs 8

F-test 4.853 Prob > F 0.081

Akaike crit. (AIC) 387.221 Bayesian crit. (BIC) 387.539

*** p<.01, ** p<.05, * p<.1

Table 2

Year GDP Infant BF Oto 6months Health spending maternal death

mortality
2010 3.22E+10 47.4 47.4 4.22 2700
2011 3.93E+10 45.6 45.6 4.69 2800
2012 4.13E+10 43.8 43.8 4.01 2800
2013 6.28E+10 42.2 42.2 4.59 2800
2014 5.48E+10 40.6 40.6 4.02 2800
2015 4.94E+10 39.2 39.2 4.54 2700
2016 5.62E+10 37.9 37.9 3.39 2700
2017 6.04E+10 36.7 36.7 3.28 2700
2018 6.73E+10 35.6 35.6 3.4
2019 6.83E+10 34.5 34.5 3.39
2020 7E+10 33.5 33.5 3.99

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Recommendations

To support both the health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding and economic considerations,

governments and hospitals should prioritize policies and initiatives. This includes implementing

paid family leave to alleviate financial burdens on mothers, encouraging flexible work

arrangements to enable a balance between work and breastfeeding. Also, providing

comprehensive breastfeeding support services in healthcare facilities, and running awareness

campaigns to emphasize the long-term societal advantages of exclusive breastfeeding.

Limitations of the study

The health spending data was used as a proxy for investments in exclusive breastfeeding. Even

though investments into exclusive breastfeeding are also included in overall health spending,

future studies can use only spending on investments in exclusive breastfeeding to know its

impact on economic benefits.

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References

Danso, J., 2014. Examining the practice of exclusive breastfeeding among professional working

mothers in Kumasi metropolis of Ghana. International journal of nursing, 1(1), pp.11-24.

Konlan, K.D., Pwavra, J.B.P., Armah‐Mensah, M., Konlan, K.D., Aryee, R. and Narkotey, S.,

2023. Challenges and coping strategies of nurses and midwives after maternity leave: A cross‐

sectional study in a human resource‐constrained setting in Ghana. Nursing Open, 10(1), pp.208-

216.

Mohammed, S., Yakubu, I., Fuseini, A.G., Abdulai, A.M. and Yakubu, Y.H., 2023. Systematic

review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and determinants of exclusive breastfeeding in the

first six months of life in Ghana. BMC Public Health, 23(1), p.920.

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