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Cost-Effectiveness of Addressing Retinopathy of Prematurity in Rwanda
Connor J Alder1, Francis Mutangana2, Victoria Phillips3
1College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.
Ophthalmic Epidemiology
|August 15, 2024
Summary
Implementing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening and anti-VEGF treatment in Rwanda is cost-saving. This national program prevents infant blindness and reduces societal costs associated with vision loss.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Health Economics
Background:
- Neonatal care expansion in sub-Saharan Africa increases the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants.
- Few studies have assessed ROP cost-effectiveness in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the cost-effectiveness of a national ROP screening and anti-VEGF treatment program in Rwanda.
- To compare the proposed program costs against the status quo and societal burden of vision loss.
Main Methods:
- Medical costs were gathered from King Faisal Hospital, Rwanda.
- Societal burden included lost productivity and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).
- A decision analysis model compared a national program's cost to the status quo for a one-year birth cohort.
Main Results:
- ROP screening and treatment cost $738 per infant, with initial equipment costs of $58,667.
- A national program could prevent 257 cases of infant blindness and increase QALYs.
- An estimated $270,000 could be saved per birth cohort due to reduced lost productivity.
Conclusions:
- The cost of ROP screening and anti-VEGF treatment is significantly lower than the indirect costs of vision loss.
- Expanding ROP screening and treatment programs is a cost-saving measure from a societal viewpoint compared to current practices.
