Data and Code for: Making Bricks from Straw: Resources and Productivity in Health Care

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Edward Okeke, RAND

Version:  View help for Version V1

Name File Type Size Last Modified
_1_dataprep.do text/plain 5.4 KB 10/17/2025 07:12:AM
_2_0_0_balance.do text/plain 15.4 KB 10/17/2025 04:22:AM
_2_0_1_household.do text/plain 6.2 KB 10/08/2025 03:03:AM
_2_0_2_balance_patients.do text/plain 3.2 KB 10/17/2025 05:15:AM
_2_0_3_balance_hh.do text/plain 3.2 KB 09/23/2025 09:45:PM
_2_0_4_balance_care.do text/plain 3.3 KB 09/29/2025 06:24:AM
_2_0_gen_bal_tables.do text/plain 2.4 KB 10/17/2025 04:25:AM
_2_1_effect_on_spending.do text/plain 14 KB 09/23/2025 09:45:PM
_2_2_action_plan_analysis.do text/plain 6.2 KB 01/12/2026 05:55:AM
_2_3_0_hetvars.do text/plain 10.3 KB 10/17/2025 05:31:AM

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary Why do health facilities in developing countries do so poorly? This paper examines the role of financial constraints. I describe an experiment in which we surprised health workers in randomly selected public health clinics in Nigeria with a N600,000 grant paid out in installments over one year. Its administration was left entirely to health workers. I show that the award led to large productivity gains. Using expenditure data combined with novel textual data I provide an explanation for these effects. I show that the award increased investments in physical and human capital, led to lower prices for patients and inspired health workers to do better.

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms grants; health care facilities; productivity; quality; health care delivery
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      I11 Analysis of Health Care Markets
      I15 Health and Economic Development
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage Nigeria
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) administrative records data; experimental data; observational data; survey data; text


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Published Versions

V1 [2026-03-03]

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DDI 2.5

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