Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 14, 2026
Assays for the Specific Growth Rate and Cell-binding Ability of Rotavirus
Published on: January 28, 2019
Cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in Kenya and Uganda
Charles Sigei1, John Odaga2, Mercy Mvundura3
1P.O. Box 293-20203, Londiani, Kenya.
Insights
Introducing rotavirus vaccines in Kenya and Uganda is highly cost-effective, preventing thousands of deaths and hospitalizations in young children. This analysis supports vaccine programs by demonstrating significant public health and economic benefits.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Rotavirus vaccines offer significant potential to prevent severe gastroenteritis in young African children.
- This study analyzes the cost-effectiveness of introducing rotavirus vaccines in Kenya and Uganda.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a prospective cost-effectiveness analysis of rotavirus vaccine introduction in Kenya and Uganda.
- To evaluate the economic impact from both government and societal perspectives.
Main Methods:
- Utilized secondary data on demographics, disease burden, healthcare utilization, and costs.
- Employed the TRIVAC cost-effectiveness model with a baseline vaccine price of $0.20 per dose.
- Assessed the incremental cost-effectiveness of a 2-dose vaccination schedule over 20 birth cohorts.
Main Results:
- Rotavirus vaccination can avert over 60,000 deaths and 216,000 hospital admissions in Kenya, and over 70,000 deaths and 329,000 admissions in Uganda (under 5 years).
- Program costs are estimated at US$80 million in Kenya and US$60 million in Uganda over 20 years.
- Cost per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted is US$38 in Kenya and US$34 (or US$29 from societal perspective) in Uganda.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus vaccine introduction is highly cost-effective in both Kenya and Uganda across various scenarios.
- National expert involvement enhanced data quality and is likely to improve decision-making and national capacity for economic evaluations.
Introduction:
Rotavirus vaccines have the potential to prevent a substantial amount of life-threatening gastroenteritis in young African children. This paper presents the results of prospective cost-effectiveness analyses for rotavirus vaccine introduction for Kenya and Uganda.
Methodology:
In each country, a national consultant worked with a national technical working group to identify appropriate data and validate study results. Secondary data on demographics, disease burden, health utilization, and costs were used to populate the TRIVAC cost-effectiveness model. The baseline analysis assumed an initial vaccine price of $0.20 per dose, corresponding to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance stipulated copay for low-income countries. The incremental cost-effectiveness of a 2-dose rotavirus vaccination schedule was evaluated for 20 successive birth cohorts from the government perspective in both countries, and from the societal perspective in Uganda.
Results:
Between 2014 and 2033, rotavirus vaccination can avert approximately 60,935 and 216,454 undiscounted deaths and hospital admissions respectively in children under 5 years in Kenya. In Uganda, the respective number of undiscounted deaths and hospital admission averted is 70,236 and 329,779 between 2016 and 2035. Over the 20-year period, the discounted vaccine program costs are around US$ 80 million in Kenya and US$ 60 million in Uganda. Discounted government health service costs avoided are US$ 30 million in Kenya and US$ 10 million in Uganda (or US$ 18 million including household costs). The cost per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted from a government perspective is US$ 38 in Kenya and US$ 34 in Uganda (US$ 29 from a societal perspective).
Conclusions:
Rotavirus vaccine introduction is highly cost-effective in both countries in a range of plausible 'what-if' scenarios. The involvement of national experts improves the quality of data used, is likely to increase acceptability of the results in decision-making, and can contribute to strengthened national capacity to undertake economic evaluations.
