New Analysis Highlights the Economic Cost of Malaria and the Opportunity for Africa’s Growth

Arlington, VA–October 21, 2025–Severe funding cuts to malaria programs could risk a resurgence costing Africa $83 billion in lost GDP by 2030 and nearly one million lives, including 750,000 children under five. These are among the findings of a new report released by Malaria No More UK (MNMUK) and the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), with technical modeling and analysis provided by Management Sciences for Health (MSH). 

The analysis shows that maintaining current levels of investment could have the opposite effect—saving 1.86 million lives and boosting Africa’s GDP by $231 billion by 2030. The report makes clear that malaria elimination is not only a health priority but also an economic imperative for the continent. 

MSH’s technical team, led by Justice Nonvignon, Technical Director for Health Economics, contributed the economic modeling and data analysis behind these findings. The models quantify how malaria impacts national productivity, education, and growth—and how sustained, strategic investments in malaria elimination can drive development and resilience across Africa. 

“Through our modeling and economic analysis, MSH helped quantify what’s at stake—and what’s possible,” said Dr. Dan Schwarz, Chief Medical Officer at MSH. “Ending malaria saves lives and strengthens Africa’s economies.” 

This collaboration builds on MSH’s longstanding leadership in malaria programming and health economics. Across Africa, MSH partners with governments, donors, and technical agencies to generate data-driven evidence that informs investment decisions, supports effective resource allocation, and strengthens the systems that make elimination possible. 

Read more: https://economy.zeromalaria.org/

Learn more about our work on health care financing: https://msh.org/health-care-financing/