Quantifying the economic burden of malaria in Nigeria using the willingness to pay approach

Abstract

BackgroundMalaria illness imposes great burden on the society as it has adverse effects on the physical, mental and social well being of the people as well as on the economic development of the nation.MethodsThe study uses the Willingness To Pay (WTP) approach to evaluate the burden of malaria in Nigeria.ResultsThe results indicate that households would be prepared to pay an average of about Naira 1,112 (USD 9.3) per month for the treatment of malaria. This is about Naira 427 (USD 3.6) in excess of the average expenditure they currently make on malaria treatment per month. Similarly, households are willing to pay on the average a sum of Naira 7,324 (USD 61) per month for the control of malaria. Again, this is an excess of about Naira 2,715 (USD 22.6) over the cost they currently bear (protection, treatment and indirect costs), and it represents households' average valuation of their intangible costs of malaria illness. This amount represents about Naira 611.7 (USD 5.1) per head per month and Naira 7,340 (USD 61.2) per year. For a country with a population of about 120 million this translates to about Naira 880,801 million per annum representing about 12.0 per cent of Gross Domestic Product. Hence, the malaria burden in Nigeria is enormous and has a devastating impact on economic growth.ConclusionIn the long term, it is important to recognize that health and poverty are closely linked. Reducing the burden of malaria in Nigeria will help to contribute to the economic well-being of communities; and poverty-reduction will be an essential input into improving health. National malaria control programme in Nigeria and their partners need to recognize these links, and identify mechanisms for ensuring that the poorest have access to essential health interventions.

The Cost Implications of Malaria Burden on House Hold Expenditure among Socio-Economic Classes in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

“…These values vary with the economic status of individuals. This observation is in consonance with studies [19]. The costs of drugs used for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria had been relatively high.…”

Social and environmental determinants of malaria in under five children in Nigeria: a review

“…9 Over the course of history, several strains of the plasmodium parasite have been discovered, each causing varying severity of malaria and sometimes spread by different species of mosquito. However, the female anopheles mosquito is now known to be the most common vector for malaria 10 in Nigeria.…”

“…In children, malaria also present with prolonged sleeping, nausea and vomiting. 9 Generally, malaria affects adult and children equally, but because of a number of biological and cultural factors, its effect is worse and more fatal in children under 5years and pregnant women. 12 One biological explanation for this difference is built immunity and resistance.…”

Issues in Malaria Communication in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria

“…About 132 billion Naira (NMCP, 2008) or about $879 million(USAID, 2010) in form of treatment costs, prevention, man-hours etc is lost annually in financial terms to this treatable and completely evitable disease (Amajor, 2011). It is however difficult to say categorically the magnitude of the problem and how it is changing through time, because the people have become so used to malaria that many of those who become sick with the ailment do not visit health care facilities and are therefore not captured in the available statistics (Jimoh, et al, 2007). Beyond the health dimension, malaria leaves untold social and economic consequences on people and nations alike.…”

“…An estimated 250,000 children under the age of five die every year in Nigeria due to the disease(UNICEF, 2009) and accounts for an average of 300,000 deaths a year (MDG, 2010 andJimoh, et al, 2007).It currently accounts for nearly 110 million clinically diagnosed cases per year and 30 percent of hospitalizations. Nigeria bears about a quarter of the disease's burden in Africa, including a significant number of the one million lives lost per year in the region, particularly amongst children and pregnant women (Jimoh, et al, 2007). About 132 billion Naira (NMCP, 2008) or about $879 million(USAID, 2010) in form of treatment costs, prevention, man-hours etc is lost annually in financial terms to this treatable and completely evitable disease (Amajor, 2011).…”