Tackling malaria good for business, government & community

27 Jul '06

2 min read

World Economic Forum (WEF) announces that the fighting malaria is good for business, governments and the community, highlights a report launched today entitled Business and Malaria: A Neglected Threat by the Global Health Initiative (GHI) of the World Economic Forum.

The report, the largest, most comprehensive ever on the impact of malaria on business, states that Sub-Saharan African businesses are highly likely to be affected by malaria, with a staggering 72 percent reporting a current effect from malaria, and 39 percent reporting serious impacts to their business.

According to the report, which surveyed over 8,000 business leaders worldwide across 100 countries, the global business community is becoming increasingly concerned over the threat of malaria, which costs Sub-Saharan Africa 0.6 percent of its GDP, with one malaria episode costing up to ten working days in terms of lost labour.

In response to these growing concerns, the GHI is launching a set of guidelines – Guidelines for Employer-Based Malaria Control Programmes – to encourage and assist businesses in Africa to take a more proactive role in the fight against malaria by setting up workplace based schemes.

“Malaria is crippling the people of Africa, and the businesses that employ them. These guidelines provide concrete tools for empowering businesses to form an effective response against this treatable, preventable disease,” said Francesca Boldrini, Director of the Global Health Initiative at the World Economic Forum. With 72 percent of African firms believing that malaria eradication would increase efficiency and productivity, the guidelines will be a critical tool designed to help businesses implement effective malaria control activities.

More World Economic Forum News... More Textiles News - Switzerland...