How eradicating malaria will boost economy

Children under treatment for malaria. About 25 million Kenyans are at risk of infection. PHOTO | FILE 

By GITHINJI GITAHI

In Summary

• Kenya stands to save over Sh1 billion annually if it wins battle against the disease.

The global community day marked the World Malaria Day as it has done every year on April 25 – taking on the theme End Malaria for Good.

This year’s celebration was the first since last year’s closure of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the great progress made under it – and the launch of Sustainable Development Goals that largely seek to build on MDGs gains.

In Kenya, the good news is that the prevalence of malaria has been on the decline having dropped from 11 per cent in 2010 to eight per cent in 2015, according to the latest Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey.

The reality today however is that malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality where at least 25 million Kenyans are at risk of infection.

The disease still accounts for 30-50 per cent of all outpatient attendance in Kenyan hospitals and 20 per cent of all admissions to health facilities.

Pregnant women and children under the age of five years remain the most vulnerable groups to the perennial malaria epidemic and require special attention.

Children under five are particularly susceptible to infection, illness and death and more than two-thirds of all malaria deaths occur in this age group. In fact, almost one out of five deaths of children under five in Africa are due to malaria.

In addition, malaria during pregnancy often contributes to maternal anaemia, premature delivery and low birth weight, thereby leading to increased child mortality. Besides, severe maternal infection contributes significantly to maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.

Besides young children and pregnant women, non-immune travellers from malaria-free areas are particularly vulnerable to the disease when they become infected.

It is estimated that eradicating malaria could enable Kenya to save at least Sh1 billion annually, excluding costs associated with productivity loss in the event of death.

The most direct economic benefit to reduced malaria prevalence is the associated reduction in household health expenditure budget.

Malaria is not only deadly but also very expensive. Studies indicate that household expenditure on malaria treatment ranges from about seven per cent of household income for the average household to 32 per cent of household income for the poorest groups.

In Kenya, where out-of-pocket health expenditure is still common, malaria can lead to financial impoverishment, even when it is effectively treated.

To successfully win the battle against malaria, we must begin to attack the disease from different dimensions. 

In Kenya, prevention has been the key winning strategy in malaria control, with the use of mosquito nets growing steadily across the country.