Malaria No More is making the business case for greater U.S. investment in malaria control. The global nonprofit, together with the Corporate Council on Africa, released a new report that highlights the economic payoff: “every dollar the U.S. invests in African malaria control returns $5.80 in economic growth — outperforming most Wall Street investments.”
“With $126.9 billion in untapped GDP waiting to be unlocked through malaria elimination, this represents one of the largest business opportunities hiding in plain sight. The choice for the U.S. is simple: lead this $4 trillion market transformation or watch competitors capture the returns,” notes the report, released to coincide with the 80th United Nations General Assembly high-level meetings.
Malaria isn’t only a health concern; it’s a major economic and strategic risk that drains U.S. resources, disrupts supply chains, and hampers Africa’s growth. The disease costs African economies about $12 billion each year, a “malaria tax” that directly impacts U.S. companies operating on the continent and triggers business disruptions that many firms fail to grasp, the report adds.