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The Macroeconomic Consequences of Malaria Eradication in Sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Minki Kim

Abstract

Malaria is the primary cause of child mortality and a barrier to childhood human capital accumulation in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper quantifies the macroeconomic consequences of malaria eradication using a structural model in which individuals endogenously respond to malaria by adjusting fertility and educational investment through the quantity-quality tradeoff. The model matches the empirical estimates from an anti-malaria campaign in Tanzania. The estimated per-capita income gain from eradication is substantial—nearly three times larger than previously reported— as healthier children acquire more human capital per year of schooling, and parents also invest more per child by lowering fertility. The results support accelerating the deployment of malaria vaccines.

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  • Minki Kim, 2025. "The Macroeconomic Consequences of Malaria Eradication in Sub-Saharan Africa," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2025_690, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2025_690
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Malaria; fertility; childhood human capital; quantity-quality trade-off; cross-country income difference;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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