The Effect of Malaria on Test Scores in Rwanda

Study Context

In 2018, more than 405,000 people died of malaria with 94% of these cases being recorded in Africa. Available evidence suggests that malaria and other tropical diseases have significant negative impact on long run economic development with the effects on human capital accumulation and labor productivity as likely operative channels. This study examines the causal impact of exposure to malaria on the cognitive performance using administrative data on over a million primary school students in Rwanda.

Study Design

This data is linked with a high resolution spatial dataset on malaria incidence and suitability to estimate the impacts. Further, this study examines the role of coping strategies such as uptake of insecticide treated nets (ITN) in moderating the impacts of malaria, and also explores possible pathways through which malaria affects education.

Results and Policy Lessons

Results of this study are forthcoming.