About the Study
The Cost of Hunger in Africa (COHA) study is a multi-country study aimed at estimating the economic and social costs of child undernutrition. This is done by estimating additional cases of morbidity, mortality, school repetition and dropouts, as well as reduced productivity that can be directly associated with undernutrition before the age of five, and the associated costs to an economy.
In Egypt, the study was led by the Egyptian Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), and supported by WFP. Support in providing data was given by the Central Statistics Agency (CAPMAS), the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education in Egypt.
2009 data was used for the study as the most recent complete dataset facilitating the analysis. All associated costs estimated are likewise in 2009 prices.

Quick Facts on Egypt Study

• Today, more stunted children in Egypt than 10 years ago
• As many as 81% of all cases of child undernutrition and its related pathologies go untreated.
• 51% of the health costs associated with undernutrition occur before the child turns 1 year-old.
• 11% of all child mortality cases in Egypt are associated with undernutrition.
• Child mortality associated with undernutrition has reduced Egypt’s workforce by 1%
• The annual costs associated with child undernutrition are estimated at 20.3 billion Egyptian pounds (US$3.7 billion), which is equivalent to 1.9% of GDP.
• Eliminating stunting in Egypt is a necessary step for development in the country.