Research on Humanities and Social Sciences www.iiste.org ISSN (Paper)2224-5766 ISSN (Online)2225-0484 (Online) Vol.5, No.8, 2015 100 Malaria as a Cause of Morbidity and Mortality: A Socio- Economic Overview Ahmad Yahaya Maigemu * Dr. Kalthum Bt Haji Hassan School of Government Universiti Utara Malaysia 06010 Sintok Kedah Darul Aman Malaysia * E-mail of the corresponding author: ahmad95084@gmail.com Abstract Malaria is one of the most severe public health problems worldwide. It is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in many developing countries especially in sub Saharan African countries where the burden of the disease is high. This paper aims to provide discussion on the socio-economic overview of malaria morbidity and mortality. Base on the existing literature the paper discusses the link between malaria and poverty and revealed varied evidence between malaria incidence and socio-economic status with some articles showing strong linkages of malaria deaths among those with poor socio-economic background. The political economy of health theory is use to understand those relationship between socio-economic status and malaria and how these parameters interact. Focusing on the links between socio-economic status and malaria morbidity and mortality this paper concludes that malaria morbidity and mortality is correlated with people socio-economic status. Keywords: malaria, socio-economic, morbidity, mortality, overview 1. Introduction Malaria is a global health challenge and remains a cause of morbidity and mortality. Africa bears the brunt of the disease. Malaria in Nigeria and Africa remains most important health problem. It remains a vital public health fear of our time. According to Olusegun (2012), malaria prevalent causes frequent suffering to human society and influences tremendously, unkind and gigantic burden on human population. It has been stated that out of the more than one million deaths caused by malaria worldwide, 90% take place in sub-Saharan Africa (WHO, 2012). World Health Organization (2012) and World Bank (2009) stated that malaria disturbs 3.3 billion persons equivalent to half of global population. WHO (2010) stated that, malaria is a public health problem of global concern because of its high economic burden on the nation and high incidence of morbidity and mortality. According to the World Health Organization report (2010), 56% of the world population lives in malaria endemic regions. According to the report, each year 300-500 million cases of malaria occur and more than one million people die of malaria annually, with Africa bearing the brunt of the disease (Wang, et al. 2011). Therefore, malaria is the most prevalent and most destructive parasitic disease of humans in Africa having a harmful effect to the general members of the society (Acharya, 2011). Malaria is a prime etiological factor that slowed down the economic growth in the continent of Africa as a result of lost productivity or income associated with illness or death and other damages associated with the disease. Malaria is a social and economic problem in the country and is the major cause of morbidity and mortality (WHO 2012). This paper is sought to discuss the socio-economic influence on malaria on morbidity and mortality. The paper consists of introduction, socio- economic influence on malaria, malaria and poverty, the theory of political economy of health and conclusion. 1.1 Objective The objective of this paper is to provide a general discussion on malaria as a cause of morbidity and mortality an overview of socio-economic influence with literature and theoretical backing. 2. Socio-economic Influence of Malaria on Morbidity and Mortality Malaria a disease of parasite that are extend by a bite of a mosquito causes 300 to 500 million medical cases and responsible for over one million deaths in every year (WHO 2011, WHO 2010; WHO 2009; WHO 2008; WHO/UNICEF 2005). Based on our assumptions morbidity and mortality of malaria is what may likely make people to perceive the seriousness and disease vulnerability. Individual information and knowledge about severity or seriousness of the disease make him/her to perceive the difficulty a disease would create to his life in general. This perception may probably influence their behavior to treatment. The description of malaria severity in terms of morbidity and mortality which also causes many difficulties to household members has been documented by several studies conducted by individual researchers and health organizations in different part of the world and especially in malaria endemic countries. For example Azizi M (2013) explains brief historical viewpoint of malaria in Iran and concludes that malaria as a severe social illness ages back to earliest periods of human history. For hundreds of years, malaria has been a fatal disease associated with high morbidity and mortality that greatly crushed the socioeconomic position of endemic nation state (Azizi, 2013). However, its contributory factor stayed unknown until the last ten years of the 19 century. Mostly affected are children in sub Saharan Africa under the age of five who dying almost 3,000 daily.