MEASURING THE ECONOMIC COST OF MALARIA TO HOUSEHOLDS IN SRI-LANKA

The economic cost at the household level of labor days lost due to mal aria and other illnesses was estimated in a rural community in Sri Lan ka. Over a one-year period, 223 episodes of malaria were recorded from the 298 Inhabitants of the village. Based on daily activity records, the economically active age group was defined as 14-60 years. In this age group, 1.8% of working days were lost due to malaria and 5.2% due to all other illnesses. The value of a labor day lost was based on the actual rural wage rate for children, women, and men, with weeks durin g periods of high labor demand weighting more than weeks during lean a gricultural periods. In this way the annual economic loss per househol d amounted to US $15.56 for malaria and US $47.46 for all other illnes ses. This corresponded to a loss of 6% and 18% of annual household net income, respectively. Although the overall economic impact was Limite d, malaria cases were concentrated in an important agricultural season . During this season, 5.6% of working days were lost due to malaria. I n addition, children, who were not part of the economically active pop ulation, lost 10% of school days due to malaria during the high transm ission season. In estimating the socioeconomic impact of malaria and i n measuring cost-benefits of malaria control interventions, these cost s have to be considered together with direct expenditures incurred by households such as on treatment and travel and with costs for the serv ice providers.