Public and private roles in malaria control: the contributions of economic analysis

There has been high profile advocacy and debate about how to increase availability and uptake of effective malaria control interventions. Application of the tools of public economics indicates that market failures occur for a number of effective malaria control interventions due to monopoly, externalities, and information failures, implying a role for public action. However, additional analysis is required to determine the optimal form of public intervention, and how to set priorities. Additional criteria of cost-effectiveness, impact on poverty and catastrophic expenditures, affordability, characteristics of supply and demand, and potential for leakage are invoked to help inform decision making in the field of malaria control policies. Particular emphasis is placed on the connections between public and private actions.