Costs and impact of the Malaria Eradication Campaign in Colombia, 1957-1969

Introduction: Between 1959 and 1969, Colombia implemented the Campaña de Erradicación de la Malaria (Malaria Eradication Campaign) as part of a global initiative. Objective: To estimate the institutional costs of the Campaña de Erradicación de la Malaria in Colombia. Material and methods: A partial economic evaluation was conducted to describe costs and outcomes based on microdata from reports by the Servicio de Erradicación de la Malaria, the División de Campañas Directas, and the Pan American Health Organization, from 1958 to 1969. Costs were classified according to the operational phases of the Campaña de Erradicación de la Malaria –attack, surveillance, and maintenance– and expenditures were categorized into personnel, benefits, equipment, and other associated costs. Results: The total cost of the Campaña de Erradicación de la Malaria was USD $41’788,924; 74.1% funded by national sources. The attack phase accounted for 80.4% of the total expenditure (USD $33’603,645), while the remaining USD $8’185,279 corresponded to the preparatory, consolidation, and maintenance phases. Forty percent of the attack phase expenditure was allocated to personnel responsible for spraying activities, while 19% percent was spent on insecticide acquisition. The average cost per household spraying was USD $2.70. The campaign prevented an estimated 568,439 malaria cases. Conclusions: The institutional cost of the Campaña de Erradicación de la Malaria in Colombia amounted to USD $41’788,924, with 74.1% corresponding to national resources. Although the campaign prevented an average of 41,965 malaria cases per year, it ultimately failed to achieve malaria eradication.