A comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in Myanmar

As part of a randomized controlled trial conducted in Myanmar between 2016 and 2019, we explore the performance of a maternal cash transfer program across villages assigned to different models of delivery (by government health workers versus loan agents of a non-governmental organization) and identi...

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Autores principales: Maffioli, Elisa, Zaw, Nicholus Tint, Field, Erica
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Oxford University Press 2024
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149044
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author Maffioli, Elisa
Zaw, Nicholus Tint
Field, Erica
author_browse Field, Erica
Maffioli, Elisa
Zaw, Nicholus Tint
author_facet Maffioli, Elisa
Zaw, Nicholus Tint
Field, Erica
author_sort Maffioli, Elisa
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description As part of a randomized controlled trial conducted in Myanmar between 2016 and 2019, we explore the performance of a maternal cash transfer program across villages assigned to different models of delivery (by government health workers versus loan agents of a non-governmental organization) and identify key factors of success. Measures include enrollment inclusion and exclusion errors, failures in payment delivery to enrolled beneficiaries (whether beneficiaries received any transfer, fraction of benefits received, and whether there were delays and underpayment of benefit amounts), and whether beneficiaries remained in the program beyond eligibility. We find that women in villages where government health workers delivered cash transfers received on average two additional monthly transfers, were 19.7 percent more likely to receive payments on time and in-full and were 14.6 percent less likely to stay in the program beyond eligibility. With respect to the primary health objective of the program - child nutrition -, we find that children whose mother received cash by government health workers were less likely to be chronically malnourished compared to those whose mother received cash by loan agents. Overall, the delivery of cash transfers to mothers of young children by government health workers outperforms the delivery by loan agents in rural Myanmar. Qualitative evidence suggests two key factors of success: (i) trusted presence and past interactions with targeted beneficiaries and complementarities between government health workers’ expertise and the program; and (ii) performance incentives based on specific health objectives along with top-down monitoring. We cannot exclude that other incentives or intrinsic motivation also played a role.
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spelling CGSpace1490442025-10-26T12:55:49Z A comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in Myanmar Maffioli, Elisa Zaw, Nicholus Tint Field, Erica cash transfers developing countries maternal and child health nutrition As part of a randomized controlled trial conducted in Myanmar between 2016 and 2019, we explore the performance of a maternal cash transfer program across villages assigned to different models of delivery (by government health workers versus loan agents of a non-governmental organization) and identify key factors of success. Measures include enrollment inclusion and exclusion errors, failures in payment delivery to enrolled beneficiaries (whether beneficiaries received any transfer, fraction of benefits received, and whether there were delays and underpayment of benefit amounts), and whether beneficiaries remained in the program beyond eligibility. We find that women in villages where government health workers delivered cash transfers received on average two additional monthly transfers, were 19.7 percent more likely to receive payments on time and in-full and were 14.6 percent less likely to stay in the program beyond eligibility. With respect to the primary health objective of the program - child nutrition -, we find that children whose mother received cash by government health workers were less likely to be chronically malnourished compared to those whose mother received cash by loan agents. Overall, the delivery of cash transfers to mothers of young children by government health workers outperforms the delivery by loan agents in rural Myanmar. Qualitative evidence suggests two key factors of success: (i) trusted presence and past interactions with targeted beneficiaries and complementarities between government health workers’ expertise and the program; and (ii) performance incentives based on specific health objectives along with top-down monitoring. We cannot exclude that other incentives or intrinsic motivation also played a role. 2024-08-08 2024-07-11T16:53:45Z 2024-07-11T16:53:45Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149044 en Open Access Oxford University Press Maffioli, Elisa; Zaw, Nicholus Tint; and Field, Erica. 2024. A comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in Myanmar. Health Policy and Planning 39(7): 674-682. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czae048
spellingShingle cash transfers
developing countries
maternal and child health
nutrition
Maffioli, Elisa
Zaw, Nicholus Tint
Field, Erica
A comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in Myanmar
title A comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in Myanmar
title_full A comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in Myanmar
title_fullStr A comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in Myanmar
title_full_unstemmed A comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in Myanmar
title_short A comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in Myanmar
title_sort comparison between different models of delivering maternal cash transfers in myanmar
topic cash transfers
developing countries
maternal and child health
nutrition
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149044
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