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Using Data Envelopment Analysis to Measure the Technical Efficiency of Public Health Centers in Kenya

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Abstract

Data Envelopment Analysis has been widely used to analyze the efficiency of health sector in developed countries, since 1978, while in Africa, only a few studies have attempted to apply DEA in the health organizations. In this paper we measure technical efficiency of public health centers in Kenya. Our finding suggests that 44% of public health centers are inefficient. Therefore, the objectives of this study are: to determine the degree of technical efficiency of individual primary health care facilities in Kenya; to recommend the performance targets for inefficient facilities; to estimate the magnitudes of excess inputs; and to recommend what should be done with those excess inputs. The authors believe that this kind of studies should be undertaken in the other countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region with a view to empowering Ministries of Health to play their stewardship role more effectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Regional Office for Africa, World Health Organization, Congo

    Joses M. Kirigia & Luis G. Sambo

  2. Statistics and Operational Research, School of Mathematical and Information Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, United Kingdom

    Ali Emrouznejad

  3. Ministry of Health, Kenya, Nairobi

    Nzoya Munguti (Health Economist) & Wilson Liambila

Authors
  1. Joses M. Kirigia
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  2. Ali Emrouznejad
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  3. Luis G. Sambo
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  4. Nzoya Munguti
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  5. Wilson Liambila
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Correspondence to Ali Emrouznejad.

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Kirigia, J.M., Emrouznejad, A., Sambo, L.G. et al. Using Data Envelopment Analysis to Measure the Technical Efficiency of Public Health Centers in Kenya. Journal of Medical Systems 28, 155–166 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOMS.0000023298.31972.c9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOMS.0000023298.31972.c9

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