Rian Snijders1, Alain Fukinsia2, Yves Claeys1, Alain Mpanya2, Epco Hasker1, Filip Meheus3, Erick Miaka2, Marleen Boelaert1. 1. Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. 2. Programme National de Lutte Contre la Trypanosomiase Humaine Africaine, Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. 3. Section of Cancer Surveillance, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Human African trypanosomiases caused by the Trypanosoma brucei gambiense parasite is a lethal disease targeted for eradication. One of the main disease control strategies is active case-finding through outreach campaigns. In 2014, a new method for active screening was developed with mini, motorcycle-based, teams. This study compares the cost of two active case-finding approaches, namely the traditional mobile teams and mini mobile teams, in the two health districts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. METHODS: The financial and economic costs of both approaches were estimated from a health care provider perspective. Cost and operational data were collected for 12 months for 1 traditional team and 3 mini teams. The cost per person screened and diagnosed was calculated and univariate sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify the main cost drivers. RESULTS: During the study period in total 264,630 people were screened, and 23 HAT cases detected. The cost per person screened was lower for a mini team than for a traditional team in the study setting (US$1.86 versus US$2.08). A comparable result was found in a scenario analysis, assuming both teams would operate in a similar setting, with the cost per person screened by a mini team 15% lower than the cost per person screened by a traditional team (1.86 $ vs 2.14$). The main explanations for this lower cost are that mini teams work with fewer human resources, cheaper means of transportation and do not perform the Capillary Tube Centrifugation test or card agglutination test dilutions. DISCUSSION: Active HAT screening with mini mobile teams has a lower cost and could be a cost-effective alternative for active case-finding. Further research is needed to determine if mini mobile teams have similar or better yields than traditional mobile teams in terms of detections and cases successfully treated.
BACKGROUND:Human African trypanosomiases caused by the Trypanosoma brucei gambiense parasite is a lethal disease targeted for eradication. One of the main disease control strategies is active case-finding through outreach campaigns. In 2014, a new method for active screening was developed with mini, motorcycle-based, teams. This study compares the cost of two active case-finding approaches, namely the traditional mobile teams and mini mobile teams, in the two health districts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. METHODS: The financial and economic costs of both approaches were estimated from a health care provider perspective. Cost and operational data were collected for 12 months for 1 traditional team and 3 mini teams. The cost per person screened and diagnosed was calculated and univariate sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify the main cost drivers. RESULTS: During the study period in total 264,630 people were screened, and 23 HAT cases detected. The cost per person screened was lower for a mini team than for a traditional team in the study setting (US$1.86 versus US$2.08). A comparable result was found in a scenario analysis, assuming both teams would operate in a similar setting, with the cost per person screened by a mini team 15% lower than the cost per person screened by a traditional team (1.86 $ vs 2.14$). The main explanations for this lower cost are that mini teams work with fewer human resources, cheaper means of transportation and do not perform the Capillary Tube Centrifugation test or card agglutination test dilutions. DISCUSSION: Active HAT screening with mini mobile teams has a lower cost and could be a cost-effective alternative for active case-finding. Further research is needed to determine if mini mobile teams have similar or better yields than traditional mobile teams in terms of detections and cases successfully treated.
Authors: Philippe Truc; Veerle Lejon; Eddy Magnus; Vincent Jamonneau; Auguste Nangouma; Didier Verloo; Laurent Penchenier; Philippe Büscher Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2002 Impact factor: 9.408
Authors: Pascal Lutumba; Filip Meheus; Jo Robays; Constantin Miaka; Victor Kande; Philippe Büscher; Bruno Dujardin; Marleen Boelaert Journal: Emerg Infect Dis Date: 2007-10 Impact factor: 6.883
Authors: Kat S Rock; Fabrizio Tediosi; Marina Antillon; Ching-I Huang; Ronald E Crump; Paul E Brown; Rian Snijders; Erick Mwamba Miaka; Matt J Keeling Journal: Nat Commun Date: 2022-02-25 Impact factor: 14.919
Authors: Charlie Franck Alfred Compaoré; Jacques Kaboré; Hamidou Ilboudo; Lian Francesca Thomas; Laura Cristina Falzon; Mohamed Bamba; Hassane Sakande; Minayégninrin Koné; Dramane Kaba; Clarisse Bougouma; Ilboudo Adama; Ouedraogo Amathe; Adrien Marie Gaston Belem; Eric Maurice Fèvre; Philippe Büscher; Veerle Lejon; Vincent Jamonneau Journal: Parasite Date: 2022-05-11 Impact factor: 3.020