Public Social Spending in Africa: Do the Poor Benefit?

Education and health care are basic services essential in anyeffort to combat poverty and are often subsidized with publicfunds to help achieve that purpose. This paper examines theeffectiveness of public social spending on education and healthcare in several African countries and finds that these programsfavor not the poor, but those who are better-off. It concludesthat this targeting problem cannot be solved simply by adjustingthe subsidy program. The constraints that prevent the poor fromtaking advantage of these services must also be addressed ifthe public subsidies are to be effective.