PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Vaccine stockout is a severe problem in Africa, including Nigeria, which could have an adverse effect on vaccination coverage and even health outcomes among the population. The Vaccine Direct Delivery (VDD) program was introduced to manage vaccine stockouts using eHealth technology. This study conducts a cost analysis of the VDD program and calculates the incremental costs of reaching an additional child for vaccination through the VDD program.
We used the expense reports from eHealth Africa, an NGO which implemented the VDD program, to calculate the VDD program\'s overall operating costs. We also used the findings from the literature to translate the effect of VDD on the reduction of vaccine stockouts into its effect on the increase in vaccination coverage. We calculated the incremental costs of reaching an additional child for vaccination through the VDD program.
We calculated that implementing the VDD program cost USD10,555 monthly for the 42 months that the VDD program was operating in Bauchi state. This figure translates to an incremental cost of USD20.6 to reach one additional child for vaccination.
Our study is one of the first to conduct a cost analysis of eHealth technology in Africa. The incremental cost of USD20.6 was within the range of other interventions that intended to increase vaccine uptake in low- and middle-income countries. The VDD program is a promising technology to substantially reduce vaccine stockout, leading to a reduction of over 55% at a reasonable cost, representing 26% of the total budget for routine immunization activities in Bauchi state. However, there is no comparable costing study that evaluates the cost of a supply chain strengthening intervention. Future studies should investigate further the feasibility of eHealth technology, as well as how to minimize its costs of implementation while keeping the efficacy of the program.
We used the expense reports from eHealth Africa, an NGO which implemented the VDD program, to calculate the VDD program\'s overall operating costs. We also used the findings from the literature to translate the effect of VDD on the reduction of vaccine stockouts into its effect on the increase in vaccination coverage. We calculated the incremental costs of reaching an additional child for vaccination through the VDD program.
We calculated that implementing the VDD program cost USD10,555 monthly for the 42 months that the VDD program was operating in Bauchi state. This figure translates to an incremental cost of USD20.6 to reach one additional child for vaccination.
Our study is one of the first to conduct a cost analysis of eHealth technology in Africa. The incremental cost of USD20.6 was within the range of other interventions that intended to increase vaccine uptake in low- and middle-income countries. The VDD program is a promising technology to substantially reduce vaccine stockout, leading to a reduction of over 55% at a reasonable cost, representing 26% of the total budget for routine immunization activities in Bauchi state. However, there is no comparable costing study that evaluates the cost of a supply chain strengthening intervention. Future studies should investigate further the feasibility of eHealth technology, as well as how to minimize its costs of implementation while keeping the efficacy of the program.
摘要：
背景：疫苗缺货在非洲是一个严重的问题，包括尼日利亚,这可能会对疫苗接种覆盖率甚至人群的健康结果产生不利影响。引入了疫苗直接交付（VDD）计划，以使用eHealth技术管理疫苗库存。本研究对VDD计划进行了成本分析，并计算了通过VDD计划接触额外儿童进行疫苗接种的增量成本。
方法：我们使用了非洲eHealth的费用报告，一个实施VDD计划的非政府组织，计算VDD程序的总体运行成本。我们还利用文献中的发现将VDD对疫苗缺货减少的影响转化为其对疫苗接种覆盖率增加的影响。我们通过VDD计划计算了增加一个孩子接种疫苗的增量成本。
结果：我们计算出，在VDD程序在Bauchi状态下运行的42个月中，实施VDD程序每月花费10,555美元。这个数字转化为增加一个孩子接种疫苗的费用20.6美元。
结论：我们的研究是首次对非洲的eHealth技术进行成本分析的研究之一。20.6美元的增量成本在其他干预措施的范围内，这些干预措施旨在增加低收入和中等收入国家的疫苗摄入量。VDD计划是一项有前途的技术，可以大大减少疫苗缺货，以合理的成本减少了55%以上，占包奇州常规免疫活动总预算的26%。然而,没有可比的成本研究来评估供应链加强干预的成本。未来的研究应进一步探讨电子健康技术的可行性，以及如何在保持计划有效性的同时最大限度地降低其实施成本。
方法：我们使用了非洲eHealth的费用报告，一个实施VDD计划的非政府组织，计算VDD程序的总体运行成本。我们还利用文献中的发现将VDD对疫苗缺货减少的影响转化为其对疫苗接种覆盖率增加的影响。我们通过VDD计划计算了增加一个孩子接种疫苗的增量成本。
结果：我们计算出，在VDD程序在Bauchi状态下运行的42个月中，实施VDD程序每月花费10,555美元。这个数字转化为增加一个孩子接种疫苗的费用20.6美元。
结论：我们的研究是首次对非洲的eHealth技术进行成本分析的研究之一。20.6美元的增量成本在其他干预措施的范围内，这些干预措施旨在增加低收入和中等收入国家的疫苗摄入量。VDD计划是一项有前途的技术，可以大大减少疫苗缺货，以合理的成本减少了55%以上，占包奇州常规免疫活动总预算的26%。然而,没有可比的成本研究来评估供应链加强干预的成本。未来的研究应进一步探讨电子健康技术的可行性，以及如何在保持计划有效性的同时最大限度地降低其实施成本。
