IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS) e-ISSN: 2279-0853, p-ISSN: 2279-0861.Volume 19, Issue 5 Ser.10 (May. 2020), PP 51-54 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0853-1905105154 www.iosrjournal 51 | Page Discounted monetary value of human lives lost due to COVID-19 in the USA as of 3 May 2020 Joses M. Kirigia 1* , Rose Nabi Deborah Karimi Muthuri 2 1 African Sustainable Development Research Consortium (ASDRC), Nairobi, Kenya 2 Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria 0002, South Africa *Corresponding author: Professor Joses M. Kirigia Abstract Objective: To estimate the total discounted monetary value of human lives lost (TDMVHL) due to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the USA as of 3 May 2020. Methods: The study estimates the present value of the 67,535 lives lost from COVID-19 in the USA, using the national average life expectancy of 78.6 years and a 3% discount rate. The robustness of the DMVHL was tested, first using 5% and 10% discount rates, and second, assuming the average global life expectancy of 72 years and then the world’s highest life expectancy of 87.1 years. Results: The COVID-19 deaths had a TDMVHL of Int$ 19,780,290,991, and an average of Int$ 292,889per human life lost.About 66.7% of the DMVHL was borne by those aged between 25 and 64 years.Re-analysis of the economic model with a 5% and 10% discount rate instead of 3% resulted in a declines in TDMVHL of Int$ 3,137,875,342 (15.9%) and Int$ 8,029,231,329 (41%), respectively.Application of the average global life expectancy of 72 years, shrank TDMVHL by Int$ 6,642,600,193 (33.6%). Interchangeably, the use of the world’s highest life expectancy - which is the Japanese female life expectancy of 87.1 years - lead to an increase in TDMVHL of Int$ 17,672,957,517 (89%). Conclusion: Even though our study is of limited scope, it has revealed that every human life lost in the USA from COVID-19 is worth 4.3 times the national per capita GDP. Keywords: COVID-19, gross domestic product, monetary value of human life, USA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 07-05-2020 Date of Acceptance: 21-05-2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction The United States of America (USA) has an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) of International Dollars (Int$) 22,321.8 billion, and a GDP per capita of Int$ 67,426.8 [1]. The country has a population of 331.052 million persons [1]. As of 3 rd May 2020, worldwide there were 3,507,785 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, including 1,130,122 recovered cases, and 245,254 deaths [2]. Out of212 countries and territories around the world with COVID, the United States of America was leading with a cumulative total of 1,162,383 cases, which included 173,910 recovered cases, and 67,535 deaths [2]. Why have the COVID-19 cases and deaths exploded in the USA? The universal health coverage (UHC) index in 2018 was 80%, implying a gap in coverage of essential health services of about 20% [3]. Approximately, 4.8% of the population had household expenditures on health greater than 10% of total household expenditure or income; and almost 0.8% of the population had household expenditures on health greater than 25% of total household expenditure or income [3]. The proportions of the population using safely managed drinking water and sanitation services were 99% and 89%, respectively [3]. This sub-optimal coverage implies that approximately 3,310,520 (1%)and 36,415,720 (11%) persons did not have access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation facilities. Persons with those kinds of deprivations might have a significant challenge in maintaining personal hygiene and practising regular handwashing to minimize the probability of COVID-19 infection. The USA has significant income inequalities. For example, 20.2% of the national income accrues to the wealthiest 1%, while only 15.2% accrues to the 40% of the poorest population [4].In 2014,46.7 (14.8%) million people were living in poverty [5].People living in poverty would have many challenges affording any protective measures against COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to estimate the discounted monetary value of human lives lost (DMVHL) due to COVID-19 in the USA as of 3 May 2020.