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The costs and benefits of a vaccination programme for Haemophilus influenzae type B disease
G D Hussey1, M L Lasser, W D Reekie
1Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town.
Insights
Implementing Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination in South Africa offers significant economic advantages. A hypothetical vaccination program for the 1992 birth cohort demonstrated net benefits ranging from R2.4 to R3.5 million.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) causes severe bacterial infections in young children globally, particularly in South Africa.
- Hib infections are preventable through conjugate Hib vaccines, yet these are not routinely administered in South Africa.
- This study evaluates the economic impact of a hypothetical Hib vaccination program in South Africa.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure the expected net economic benefits of a Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination program.
- To assess the cost-effectiveness of introducing Hib vaccines into the routine immunization schedule for the 1992 Cape Town birth cohort.
Main Methods:
- Calculated direct medical care costs and indirect costs (human capital, willingness-to-pay) associated with Hib disease.
- Determined the costs of a hypothetical Hib vaccination program (HibTITER, Praxis Biologicals).
- Calculated net benefits by subtracting vaccination program costs from estimated Hib disease costs.
Main Results:
- Estimated economic costs of Hib disease for the 1992 Cape Town cohort ranged from R10.7 to R11.8 million without a vaccination program.
- The cost of introducing the hypothetical Hib vaccination program was R8.3 million.
- Net benefits from vaccinating the 1992 birth cohort were estimated between R2.4 million and R3.5 million.
Conclusions:
- A hypothetical Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination program for the 1992 Cape Town birth cohort would yield substantial net economic benefits.
- Vaccination is a cost-effective strategy for reducing the burden of Hib disease in South Africa.
- The findings support the integration of conjugate Hib vaccines into routine immunization schedules.
Abstract:
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infection is a major cause of severe bacterial infection in young children in South Africa and world-wide. These diseases can be prevented by immunisation with conjugate Hib vaccines. In South Africa, unlike some developed countries, Hib vaccines are not part of the routine immunisation schedule. The objective of this study was to measure the expected net benefits from a hypothetical programme of vaccination of the 1992 Cape Town birth cohort (N = 46,537). Costs were calculated by summing the estimated direct medical care costs together with the indirect costs of Hib disease. The latter were calculated by valuing human life using alternative, and conservative human capital and willingness-to-pay measures. The difference between Hib disease costs (i.e. the benefits which would be gained from a successful vaccination programme) and the costs of the vaccination programme itself (HibTITER, Praxis Biologicals) defined the expected net benefits. In the absence of an immunisation programme, the estimated economic costs of Hib disease in the 1992 Cape Town cohort ranged from R10.7 million to R11.8 million. The costs of introducing the vaccine would have amounted to R8.3 million. Had the vaccine been administered to the 1992 birth cohort, benefits would have exceeded costs by between R2.4 million and R3.5 million.