Health Economics Threats: Lessons from Ebola, Avian Influenza and Coronavirus

Abstract

Last 40 years at last 6 major epidemics of tropical or subtropical diseases represented major economic losses in Healthcare System and global health financing worldwide: 1 – Pandemic of HIV/AIDS from 1980-2000 destroyed Healthcare systems of Subsaharan Africa and caused USD 15 billion losses in labor, taxes and global health economics in 1985 – 2015. 2 – Influenza of zoonotic origin (avian and swine) caused USD 5,5 billion losses directly or indirectly in economics of South East Asia, Mexico and US in 2005 to 2014. 3 – Yellow Fever pandemic in DR Congo and Angola damaged their economic industry mining and oil industry with losses of 2 billion Euro in 2015-2019. 4 – Zika Epidemics in Latin America and SE Asia and Pacific area practically anuled Olympic and paralympic game and other sport events in 2015 - 2018. 5 – Ebola Epidemics in Western Africa caused 20 000 deaths and 5-8 billion USD losses on African economy. 6 – Finally, at least 3 coronavirus epidemies were noted within last 20 years: SARS (2002-2005 in China), MERS in 2015-2019 in Saudi Arabia and Korea and current CoV in central China 2019-2020. Common features are that all 6 epidemic are caused by (i) Highly contagious viruses with high transmission; (ii) All are of zoonotic origin; (iii) No vaccines are apart of Yellow Fever available. Fortunately, financial in injection and economic support of World Bank, WHO and global found and vastly the huge investment of private pharmaceutic industries generated effective treatments, due to rapid development of antiviral agents (24 antiHIV drugs in 24 years, 2 anti-influenza, 2 anti-ebola, 4 anti SARS/CoV and one anti Zika chemotherapeutics were registrated worldwide. For Yelow fever, fortunately, effective vaccine exists for 50 years and against Ebola, vaccine was introduced in 2018. In conclusion economic losses and mortality generated a emerited (joint) response more rapidly, then the disease spreas uncontrolled to millions. The question is, until when?