Barry Streek
The government is spending R68-million a year fighting malaria and South Africa lost an estimated R19,4-million in productivity in 1998 and 1999 because of the disease, according to Minister of Health Mantho Tshabalala-Msimang.
She told Parliament 26 445 cases of malaria were reported in 1998, 51 535 in 1999 and 24 047 up to April 5 2000.
Tshabalala-Msimang, who was replying to a question tabled by Gerhard Koornhof (United Democratic Movement), said: “Since malaria occurs mostly in the rural areas, many of the people contracting malaria are farm workers or domestic house workers, while many are also unemployed.”
She said productivity could be estimated on the average of five days’ sick leave at R50 a day, or R250 a case, and therefore the loss of productivity in 1998 was estimated at R6E611E250 in 1998 and R12E883E750 for 1999.
Koornhof said the loss of productivity because of malaria was on “a conservative estimate”.
He also said the minister had indicated that during the past three malaria seasons DDT had been phased out.
“DDT has, however, been re- introduced since certain mosquitoes have developed resistance to the synthetic parathyroid group of insecticides used.
“The UDM calls on the minister to urgently look for an effective alternative to DDT. Rural areas are most affected by incidents of malaria cases and these people are most in need of a simple and available solution,” Koornhof said.