Impact of Remittances on Healthcare Utilisation and Expenditure in Developing Countries: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background The poor and low-income earners used remittances to access healthcare services because most of them are not covered by private or government health insurance schemes.The money sent by migrant workers from abroad to their family members, relatives and friends serves as social protection, especially in developing countries where there are no standardised social protection programmes. Objective This review assesses the impact of remittances on healthcare utilisation and expenditure in developing countries. Methods A systematic search for relevant literature was conducted online for studies published between 2002 and 2018. Results The inclusion criteria of the study were met by 7 out of the 135 studies searched electronically. The studies conducted in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, found that remittances contributed toincreased healthcare access, utilisation and expenditures. However, the degrees of these impacts were limited among the studies except in Armenia, where remittances significantly increased healthcare utilisation. Conclusion Although remittances can not serve as an alternative to formal healthcare insurance schemes, they can serve as a short-term measure in healthcare utilisation in developing countries. It is the responsibility of governments at all levels to formulate health policies that will embrace universal healthcare coverage for all citizens.