[Part of health costs related to malaria in a Cameroon enterprise].
In 1995 a survey was conducted in a metallurgical company in Cameroon to determine the percentage of health-related costs attributed to malaria. Both direct (consultation, hospitalizations, laboratory tests, and drugs) and indirect (sick pay, overtime, and lost production) costs were included. Total annual health-related expenditures were 4,125,000 FF. The average amount spent was 5,800 FF per family or 900 FF per eligible person. Malaria accounted for 1,272,000 FF or 31% of these expenditures. Thus the average amount spent for malaria was 1780 FF per family and 275 FF per eligible person. These figures indicate that a prevention program based mainly on use of impregnated mosquito nets, would be a highly cost-effective approach especially within the context of a well-organized health care system, a stable local population, a high mosquito biting nuisance, a good awareness of this nuisance, the possibility of social upheaval, and probable company support. Since a malaria-prevention program running at 50% efficiency would only decrease the malaria-related costs by about 12.5% of overall annual health expenditures, careful monitoring of cost-effectiveness would be necessary.
Chambon
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l'Observatoire Régional de la Santé, l'Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte contre les Endémies en Afrique centrale, Yaoundé, Cameroun.
Lemardeley
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P
Latapie
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E
Louis
F J
FJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002163:Cameroon; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D008669:Metallurgy; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000191:economics*; D011322:Primary Prevention