Malaria eradication and economic outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Uganda.
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.
Harvard University, School of Public Health, United States. Electronic address: jbarofsky@brookings.edu.
Jeremy
J
Barofsky
USDA Economic Research Service, United States. Electronic address: tanekwe@ers.usda.gov.
Tobenna D
TD
Anekwe
World Bank, United States. Electronic address: cchase@worldbank.org.
Claire
C
Chase
D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D046688:Child Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D060740:Disease Eradication / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D057217:Economic Development / Q000639:trends*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000639:trends; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology
Economic development; Human capital; Malaria; Malaria eradication; Uganda