title: Impact on child mortality of removing user fees: simulation model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate how many child deaths might be prevented if user fees were removed in 20 African countries
  
  
  METHODS
  Simulation model combining evidence on key health interventions' impacts on reducing child mortality with analysis of the effect of fee abolition on access to healthcare services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elimination of user fees could prevent approximately 233,000 (estimate range 153,000-305,000) deaths annually in children aged under 5 in 20 African countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the relatively low cost of abolition, replacing user fees with alternative financing mechanisms should be seen as an effective first step towards improving households' access to health care and achieving the millennium development goals for health.
authors.affiliation: Save the Children UK, London EC1M 4AR. chrisjamesuk@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Saul S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D046688:Child Mortality; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D005251:Fees, Medical; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018803:Models, Economic