The Effect of Foreign Direct Investment on Public Health

Abstract

Health is an outset of psychological, social, financial, and physical state. Several macroeconomic factors are entangled with health and mortality. Infant mortality and life expectancy are two key guard on demographic research context on last few decades. On the other hand, foreign inflows play an unprecedent role for raising economic circulation and providing more opportunities to build a better society. The study aims to investigate the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI), economic growth, and Bangladesh's health. This study employs time-series data from 1980 to 2018. Results show, with Auto-regressive Distribute Lag (ARDL) model, that there is significant cointegration among variables. Foreign investment and economic output relate significantly and positively to health. On the contrary, education is quasi-linked with a different sign-on different model. For model validation, pitfalls of time-series multicollinearity, heteroscedasiticy, and autocorrelation are not present. Also, CUSUM and CUSUMSQ tests are validating the model as stable and fit for future prediction. Medical assessment and education need more attention from the government as well as the private sector. FDI can play a catalyst role for improving the health sector, raising opportunity in educating and creating a better lifestyle. In order to optimize foreign investment, the government should implement necessary reforms and policies.