January 2011

The cost of a malaria-free world

A recent news article in Reuters discusses the cost-effectiveness of attaining a malaria-free world, and evaluates whether it makes economic sense to work towards malaria elimination. Oliver Sabot, MEG member and lead author on The Lancet publication, Costs and Financial Feasibility of Malaria Elimination, has examined the costs and benefits of eliminating malaria and concludes that in areas where elimination has a low probability of cost savings, countries should instead focus on achieving controlled low-endemic malaria. As international donors and endemic countries invest in malaria control, the question of cost-effectiveness is critical in both high- and low-endemic settings.