ABSTRACT
Malaria is estimated to kill between 1.5 and 2.7 million persons every year. Most are
African children younger than five years of age. More than 300 million suffer from
malaria and it has been estimated that a single bout of malaria costs a sum equivalent to
over 10 working days. In 1987 the total economic cost of malaria: health care, treat-
ment, lost production etc., was estimated to be US$ 800 million for tropical Africa; this
figure is expected to be more than US$ 1,800 million by 1995. Malaria thus has disas-
trous social consequences and is a heavy burden on economic development (Casteel,
1997). Figure 10.1 depicts the geographical distribution of malaria in 1997 (WHO).
