Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of instances of malaria on the UK's trade with developing countries.

Malaria is bad for business, investment and trade. It results in people having to take time off work because of illness, worker absenteeism, and reduced worker productivity. These effects slow economic growth in malaria-endemic countries and have an impact on their ability to trade with countries including the UK. Reducing malaria creates healthier, more productive workforces and generates benefits for entire economies, businesses, and individuals.

The World Health Organisation estimates that global gains in lives saved, due to efforts to tackle malaria, were valued at US$2040 billion, which equates to 3.6% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) of malaria affected countries in 2015.