TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of HIV/AIDS on Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa
T2 - Recent Evidence
AU - Nketiah-Amponsah, Edward
AU - Abubakari, Mohammed
AU - Baffour, Priscilla Twumasi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019, International Atlantic Economic Society.
PY - 2019/11/1
Y1 - 2019/11/1
N2 - This paper examines the effect of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using data from 46 SSA countries spanning the period 2000–2015. Results based on the system-generalized method of moments estimation showed that a 1% increase in the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in SSA decreased the growth in per capita income by 0.47%. The impact of HIV/AIDS on economic growth was felt most in Eastern Africa followed by West Africa, although the prevalence rate was highest in Southern Africa. In particular, a 1% increase in the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in Eastern Africa and West Africa retarded growth in per capita income by 0.64% and 0.47%, respectively, over the study period. The paper suggests that for SSA to minimize the impact of HIV/AIDS prevalence on growth, African governments should take a cue from the southern African countries by making anti-retroviral drugs more accessible and affordable to persons living with the disease.
AB - This paper examines the effect of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using data from 46 SSA countries spanning the period 2000–2015. Results based on the system-generalized method of moments estimation showed that a 1% increase in the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in SSA decreased the growth in per capita income by 0.47%. The impact of HIV/AIDS on economic growth was felt most in Eastern Africa followed by West Africa, although the prevalence rate was highest in Southern Africa. In particular, a 1% increase in the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in Eastern Africa and West Africa retarded growth in per capita income by 0.64% and 0.47%, respectively, over the study period. The paper suggests that for SSA to minimize the impact of HIV/AIDS prevalence on growth, African governments should take a cue from the southern African countries by making anti-retroviral drugs more accessible and affordable to persons living with the disease.
KW - Economic growth
KW - Generalized method of moments
KW - HIV/AIDS prevalence
KW - Sub-Saharan Africa
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85075866459&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11294-019-09754-3
DO - 10.1007/s11294-019-09754-3
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85075866459
SN - 1083-0898
VL - 25
SP - 469
EP - 480
JO - International Advances in Economic Research
JF - International Advances in Economic Research
IS - 4
ER -
