Evaluating the effects of the free healthcare policy on clinical visits and malaria among children in Burkina Faso: a modeling study of past trends and future forecasts.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Access to primary healthcare remains a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2016, Burkina Faso introduced the free healthcare policy, eliminating financial barriers by offering free healthcare services for children under five and pregnant women. While previous studies have reported increased healthcare utilization under the policy, its effects on health outcomes remains unassessed. Here, we evaluate the free healthcare policy's effects on three key indicators: frequency of clinical visits, malaria prevalence, and severe malaria.

Methods

Routine health and demographic data for children under five were collected from health facilities using the government's Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform. Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Models (GLMM) with a Differenc

SUBMITTER: Ouedraogo AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12703899 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature