June 5, 2024 (London) - The GDP of countries in Africa could rise by an additional $126.9 billion if the UN target to cut malaria by 90% from 2015 levels by 2030 is met, according to research and analysis conducted by Oxford Economics Africa, in a new report entitled ‘The Malaria Dividend’ from Malaria No More UK.
This represents an average boost of nearly $16 billion a year to African economies, more than 10% of collective annual spending on health for all countries in Africa.
The research also showed that reaching this goal could generate an additional $31 billion in exports to some of the most affected malaria endemic countries in Africa; with an almost $4 billion rise for G7 countries, almost $1.5 billion for the United States.
The analysis comes ahead of the G7 Summit hosted in Italy on 13-15 June, providing yet further rationale for G7 countries, as key supporters of interventions to drive down malaria, to continue to invest in the fight to end the disease. The G7 has helped establish global health initiatives such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which plays a vital role in increasing access to vaccines, and The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which has long been critical to increasing access to tools and treatments to combat malaria.
Malaria currently claims the lives of over 600,000 people a year, and the World Health Organization estimates that malaria interventions have contributed to the prevention of 2.1 billion cases and 11.7 million deaths between 2000 to 2022.
Additional economic dividends from malaria elimination could be partly used to further strengthen the health sector through enhanced diagnostic capacity, healthcare workforce and stronger primary healthcare infrastructure. In doing so, these countries could be better prepared to prevent and fight future threats, such as new diseases with pandemic potential, making all countries, including G7 nations, safer and better prepared.
“Investing more in the fight to end malaria can save millions of lives, grow African economies and boost trade,” said Dr. Astrid Bonfield, Chief Executive Officer of Malaria No More UK. “This can unlock new funds to bolster health spending and strengthen health security in African countries and globally, showing how malaria investment can rebalance economic power and deliver wide-ranging benefits.”
“Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, but it continues to needlessly cost lives and hold back endemic countries from making critical social and economic gains,” said Dr. Michael Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria. “We must prioritize our 2030 target of reducing malaria by 90% compared to 2015 levels to end this tragic cycle.”
Read the full report: Zero Malaria - The Malaria Dividend ONLINE FINAL.pdf (malarianomore.org.uk)
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