Is Direct FDI in Healthcare Desirable in a Developing Economy?

We develop a three-sector general equilibrium model and attempt to examine the impact of FDI in healthcare sector on the welfare and human capital stock of the economy. The greater the size of the healthcare sector the higher and better would be the medical facilities available to each member of the population. Better medical facilities must produce positive effects on workers’ general health and productivity. The greater the size of the healthcare sector the higher is the efficiency of labour. There are two types of capital: capital of type K and capital of type N. While capital of type K is used in production of all the sectors of the economy, capital of type N is specific to the healthcare sector. Our analysis finds that an FDI of capital of type N although raises the human capital formation may lower social welfare. On the contrary, an inflow of foreign capital of type K is likely to be welfare-improving. Although these effects crucially hinge on different structural factors e.g. the degree of labour market imperfection, trade-related and technological factors these can at least question the desirability of allowing the entry of foreign capital in the healthcare sector directly.