COVID-19 and the impact of cash transfers on health care use in Togo

BACKGROUND: Cash transfer program during pandemics provide a social protection mechanism to improve the health of the most vulnerable households. This article analysis the impact of cash transfers on household demand for health care during Covid-19. METHODS: Using data from the survey conducted from 8th to 17th July 2020 covering all 44 districts in the 6 health regions of Togo under the direction of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), we used propensity score matching and the ESR model. These models allow us to analysis the impact of cash transfers on health care use during Covid-19. RESULTS: Analysis of the results shows a positive impact of cash transfers on the use of health care services in Togo for beneficiary households. In addition, the health insurance promotes the use of health care among households’ socio-economic factors. CONCLUSION: This cash transfer program is an effective approach to improving access to health care services for the most vulnerable households, particularly in the most disadvantaged settings. Thus, policy makers need to extend these cash transfers to a large part of the population during this Covid-19 health crisis as it has a positive impact on the demand for health care.