Infectious disease is a serious global health problem. However, its
negative impact is felt more in sub Saharan Africa. Epidemiological figures
have shown that the burden of infectious disease is highest in the African continent
especially in sub Saharan Africa. A majority of people leaving in sub
Saharan Africa are poor and their exposure to infectious disease worsens their
poverty situation. Aside impoverishing infected individuals, infectious
diseases also directly negatively impact the economy of the country involved,
reducing economic growth and productivity. Diseases like malaria, HIV,
tuberculosis TB, and other epidemic prone diseases like Cholera and Ebola constantly
pose a threat to economic development in Sub Saharan Africa. It is therefore
pertinent to invest in disease prevention strategies to curb the burden and
reduce the impact of infectious diseases on the economy of countries in sub
Saharan Africa. This mini review re-echoes the burden of infectious diseases
and discusses ways and strategies to reduce the burden of these diseases and
the economic benefits that will be accrued at the long run.
Cite this paper
Orish, V. N. (2015). Economic Burden of Infectious Diseases and Benefit of Control and Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa. Open Access Library Journal, 2, e2138. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1102138.
Fonkwo, P.N. (2008) Pricing Infectious Disease: The Economic and Health Implications of Infectious
Diseases. EMBO Reports, 9, S13-S17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/embor.2008.110
Young, F., Critchley, J., Johnstone, C. and Unwin, N. (2010) Globalization and the Dual
Disease Burden in Sub-Sa- haran Africa. Diabetes Voice, 55,
30-32.
Lopez, A.D., Mathers,
C.D., Ezzati, M., Jamison, D.T. and Murray, C.J. (2006) Global and Regional
Burden of Disease and Risk Factors, 2001: Systematic Analysis of Population
Health Data. The Lancet, 367, 1747-1757. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68770-9
Patz, J.A.,
Githeko, A.K.,
Mccarty, J.P.,
Hussein, S.,
Confalonieri, U. and De Wet, N.
(2003) Climate Change and Infectious Diseases. In:Mcmichael, A.J., Campbell-Lendrum, D.H., Corvalán, C.F., Ebi, K.L.,
Githeko, A.K.,
Scheraga, J.D. and Woodward, A.,
Eds., Climate Change and Human Health. Risks and Responses, World Health Organization, Geneva, 103-132.
Jha, P., Chaloupka,
F.J., Moore, J., Gajalakshmi, V., Gupta, P.C., Peck, R. and Claeson, M. (2006)
Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. World
Bank Publications, Washington DC.
Plewes,
T.J. and Kinsella, K. (2012) The
Continuing Epidemiological Transition in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Workshop Summary. National
Academies Press, Washington
DC
Carapinha, J.L.,
Ross-Degnan, D., Desta, T.A. and Wagner, K.A. (2010)
Health Insurance Systems in Five Sub-Saha- ran African Countries: Medicine Benefits and Data
for Decision Making. Health Policy, 99,
193-202.
Bull, P.C. and Marsh, K. (2002)
The Role of Antibodies to Plasmodium Falciparum-Infected-Erythrocyte Surface Antigens
in Naturally Acquired Immunity to Malaria. Trends
in Microbiology, 10, 55-58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0966-842X(01)02278-8
Snow, R.W., Newton, C.R., Craig, M.H. and Steketee, R.W. (2003) The Public Health Burden of Plasmodium
Falciparum Malaria in Africa. Disease Control Priorities Project. Working Paper
No. 11,
Fogarty International
Centre, National Institute of Health, Bethesda.
Gallup, J.L. and Sachs, J.D.
(2000) The Economic Burden of Malaria.
Center for International Development at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. www.cid.harvard.edu
World Health Organization, Global Tuberculosis Programme (1997) Treatment of
Tuberculosis: Guidelines for National Programmes. 2nd Edition, World Health Organization, Geneva.
Publication WHO/GTB/96.210.
Kirigia, J.M., Sambo,
L.G., Yokouide, A., Soumbey-Alley, E., Muthuri, L.K. and
Kirigia, D.G. (2009) Economic Burden of Cholera in
the WHO African Region. BMC International Health and Human Rights, 9, 8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-698X-9-8
Lockwood, D.N. (2002) Emerging Infectious Diseases
from the Global to the Local Perspective: A Summary of a Workshop of the Forum on Emerging
Infections. Davis, J.R. and Lederberg, J., Eds., Institute of Medicine, National Academy Press, Washington
DC,
118 p.
Alsan, M.M., Westerhaus, M., Herce, M.,
Nakashima, K. and Farmer, P.E. (2011) Poverty, Global Health, and Infectious Disease: Lessons
from Haiti and Rwanda. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America, 25, 611-622. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2011.05.004