Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Piloting of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test kits within Region 8, Guyana
Abstract:
The objective of this study
was to conduct a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) of piloting Rapid Diagnostic
Test (RDT) kits in Region 8 of Guyana. The primary aim was to assess whether
the introduction of RDTs provided good value for money and whether it could be
considered a cost-effective intervention for malaria diagnosis in remote,
high-burden areas. A quantitative analysis approach was employed, utilizing
secondary data collected from multiple authorized sources, including government
agencies such as the Ministry of Health. The data included expenditure records,
payment vouchers, project reports, and receipts, providing critical financial
information to estimate costs associated with the RDT pilot and microscopy testing.
The results revealed that the total cost of implementing the RDT pilot project
was USD 67,161, with the majority of expenditures allocated towards human
resources. The estimated cost for administering a single RDT was USD 13.23. The
findings demonstrated that the community-based approach was more cost-effective
because it avoided additional expenses related to the construction and
operation of new health facilities and hiring of personnel. By comparison, the
cost of microscopy testing was estimated at USD 31.44 per patient, with the
principal cost drivers identified as human resource salaries and facility
operational expenses. Based on the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER)
analysis, the intervention was deemed highly cost-effective. When compared to
Guyana’s GDP per capita, which was USD 3,883 in 2017 according to the Guyana
Bureau of Statistics, the piloting of RDTs was shown to be a financially
sustainable and impactful approach to strengthening malaria diagnosis in
underserved regions.
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