Research

The economic burden of malaria on the household in south-central Vietnam

Chantal M Morel^1*, Ngo D Thang², Nguyen X Xa², Le Xuan Hung², Le Khan Thuan², Pham Van Ky³, Annette Erhart⁴, Anne J Mills⁵ and Umberto D'Alessandro⁴

• * Corresponding author: Chantal M Morel C.M.Morel@lse.ac.uk

Author Affiliations

¹ LSE Health, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London, UK

² National Institute for Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, Luong The Vinh street, BC 10200 Tu Liem District, Hanoi, Vietnam

³ Provincial Centre for Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, 156 Ngo Gia Tu Street, Phan Rang city, Ninh Thuan Province, Vietnam

⁴ Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium

⁵ Department of Public Health & Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK

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Malaria Journal 2008, 7:166 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-7-166

Published: 27 August 2008

Abstract

Background

Each year, several thousand cases of malaria occur in south-central Vietnam. Evidence from elsewhere suggests that malaria can have an economic impact on the household as the illness prevents households from completing their normal, physically demanding, productive duties such as tending crops and animals. The economic impact of malaria on households was explored within the Raglay ethnic minority living in the montainous and forested area of south-central Vietnam (Ninh Thuan Province).

Methods

Two-hundred fifty-one malaria patients were identified and interviewed in an exit survey at Community Health Centres. The same patient sample was then re-interviewed in a household survey two to four weeks later. Survey data were complemented by approximately 40 informal discussions with health workers, vendors, patients, and community leaders.

Results

Each episode of malaria was estimated to cost the patient's household an average of 11.79 USD (2005 prices), direct costs for travel and treatment representing 6% of the total while the remainder was loss in annual income.

Conclusion

Whilst government provision of malaria treatment keeps the direct costs relatively low, the overall loss in income due to illness can still be significant given the poverty amongst this population, especially when multiple cases of malaria occur annually within the same household.