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Malaria eradication and economic outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Uganda

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  • Barofsky, Jeremy
  • Anekwe, Tobenna D.
  • Chase, Claire

Abstract

This study evaluates the economic consequences of a 1959–1960 malaria eradication campaign in southwestern Uganda. The effort constitutes a rare, large-scale, and well-documented attempt to eliminate malaria in sub-Saharan Africa and produced an immediate disease reduction. We use this quasi-experimental health shock to identify long-term changes in educational and economic outcomes. Comparing the treatment district to a similar synthetic control, we find malaria eradication raised educational attainment by about a half year for both males and females, increased primary school completion among females and generated an almost 40% rise in the likelihood of male wage employment.

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  • Barofsky, Jeremy & Anekwe, Tobenna D. & Chase, Claire, 2015. "Malaria eradication and economic outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Uganda," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 118-136.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:44:y:2015:i:c:p:118-136
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2015.08.002
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    7. Cirera, Laia & Castelló, Judit Vall & Brew, Joe & Saúte, Francisco & Sicuri, Elisa, 2022. "The impact of a malaria elimination initiative on school outcomes: Evidence from Southern Mozambique," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    8. Ninja Ritter Klejnstrup & Julie Buhl-Wiggers & Sam Jones & John Rand, 2018. "Early life malaria exposure and academic performance," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(6), pages 1-16, June.
    9. Milusheva,Sveta, 2020. "Using Mobile Phone Data to Reduce Spread of Disease," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9198, The World Bank.
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    11. Visconti, Roberto Moro & Larocca, Alberto & Marconi, Michele, 2020. "Accessibility to First-Mile health services: A time-cost model for rural Uganda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
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    13. Nandi, Arindam & Kumar, Santosh & Shet, Anita & Bloom, David E. & Laxminarayan, Ramanan, 2020. "Childhood vaccinations and adult schooling attainment: Long-term evidence from India's Universal Immunization Programme," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    14. Bethencourt, Carlos & Marrero, Gustavo A. & Ngoudji, Charlie Y., 2021. "The Fight against Malaria: A New Index for Quantifying and Assessing Policy Implementation Actions to Reduce Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa," MPRA Paper 108570, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Malaria; Malaria eradication; Human capital; Economic development; Uganda;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure

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