By Ernest L. Molua
Malaria takes an enormous toll on human health and well-being, in tropical regions including Africa south of the Sahara, South and Southeast Asia, Oceania, and parts of the Americas. Malaria imposes a heavy cost not only on a country's current income, but also on its rate of its economic growth. The cost of malaria is substantially extensive. Short-run costs — including lost work time, economic losses associated with infant and child mortality and morbidity, and the costs of treatment and prevention — are typically significant in accounting for lost income. Malaria is without doubt taking costly bites out of Africa. According to some reports, 'malaria slows economic growth in Africa by up to 1.3% each year. Since sub-Saharan Africa's GDP is around $300 billion a year, the short-term benefits of malaria control can reasonably be estimated at between $3 billion and $12 billion per year.' There is urgent need in committing substantial new economic resources to malaria control and prevention....More: See pages 8 -10.
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