Cost of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Infants for Malaria Control
Author Information
Author(s): Manzi Fatuma, Hutton Guy, Schellenberg Joanna, Tanner Marcel, Alonso Pedro, Mshinda Hassan, Schellenberg David
Primary Institution: Ifakara Health Research and Development Centre
Hypothesis
What resources are needed to implement IPTi?
Conclusion
The IPTi intervention appears to be affordable even within the budget constraints of Ministries of Health of most sub-Saharan African countries.
Supporting Evidence
- The estimated financial cost to start-up and run IPTi in Tanzania in 2005 was US$1,486,284.
- Start-up costs at the national level were mainly for developing communication materials and consultations.
- The annual running cost at the national level was estimated at US$459,096.
- Training accounted for 51% of the total start-up and year one costs per district.
Takeaway
This study looked at how much money is needed to start and run a program that gives malaria treatment to babies. It found that the costs are low enough for many countries to afford.
Methodology
The study tracked health system and other costs of developing and maintaining the IPTi strategy in five districts in southern Tanzania through financial cost extraction and semi-structured interviews.
Potential Biases
The involvement of researchers in the costing process may introduce bias in the cost estimates.
Limitations
The study may have been influenced by the involvement of researchers, which could affect the costs compared to government-led implementation.
Participant Demographics
The study was conducted in five districts in southern Tanzania, with a population of around 900,000, primarily in a rural area with high infant mortality rates.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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