Effect of Health on Economic Growth in the Republic of Congo: The Case of Manultrition

Introduction: This study examines the relationship between health, specifically malnutrition, and economic growth in the Republic of Congo. There is growing concern about the deteriorating nutritional status of the population, characterized by high rates of malnutrition (FAO, 2012). This work aims to reassess the effects of malnutrition on long-term economic growth, based on theoretical frameworks established in the economic literature.  Methodology: The model used is an augmented version of Solow model, incorporating health and education as components of human capital, folloxin the approach of Mankiw and al (1992) and Knowles and Owen (1995). The data come from various sources, including the World Bank, the World Food Program (WFP), the FAO and UNESCO. An Error Correction Model (ECM) was applied to assess the long-term effect of malnutrition, measured by the Food Deficit in Kilocalories per person per day, on economic growth measured by Gross Domestic Product in Congo.  Results: The resuts show that malnutrition has a significant and negative effect on long-term economic growth in the Republic of Congo. Each increase in the food deficit leads to a significant drop in GDP, underlining the importance of improving nutritional status to stimulate economic growth.  Discussion and Conclusion: The study highlights the crucial role of health and nutrition in economic growth. It is therefore essential to adopt public policies aimed at reducing malnutrition in order to promote sustained and sustainable growth in the Republic of Congo.