The impact of Chinese maternal and child healthcare institutions on maternal and child health

Although maternal and child health have experienced a continuous improvement in past decades, it is still behind the Millennium Development Goals. This research studies the influence of maternal and child health care institution (MCHCI), which occupies a special position in China’s healthcare field but its impacts on the health of women and children have not been received a plausible attention so far. By using Chinese provincial data, the empirical results show that the increase in MCHCI beds diminishes the incidence and mortality rate of neonatal tetanus in China. Additionally, the rise in MCHCI beds does not correspond to the increase in health expenditure per capita. Our findings reveal the profound significance of MCHCI in promoting social welfare in China, and provide policy implications for other low and middle-income countries to further improve both maternal and child health.