Lowering costs: the golden rule for achieving WHO goals

Abstract

The WHO Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis 2016–21 has established specific objectives aimed at eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health concern by 2030. 1 Global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis 2016–2021. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978-92-4-155058-1Date: 2016 Date accessed: April 4, 2023 Google Scholar To achieve this goal, all WHO regions are striving for a 90% reduction in new cases of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection by 2030, which is equivalent to a prevalence of HBsAg of less than 0·1% among children aged 5 years. As most HBV-related illnesses stem from infections contracted during infancy through perinatal or early childhood exposure to the virus, the global targets for 2030 aim to ensure that 90% of infants receive a timely birth dose of HBV vaccine and that 90% of the neonate population receive two to three additional doses of the HBV vaccine. 1 Global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis 2016–2021. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978-92-4-155058-1Date: 2016 Date accessed: April 4, 2023 Google Scholar Impact and cost-effectiveness of hepatitis B virus prophylaxis in pregnancy: a dynamic simulation modelling studyPAP can provide substantial health benefits, and, although the current approach might already be cost-effective in some high-burden settings, decreased diagnostic costs would probably be needed for PAP to be cost-effective in most countries. Therefore, careful consideration needs to be given about how such a strategy is implemented, and securing reduced costs for diagnostics should be a priority. The theoretical strategy of offering PAP to all women who are HBsAg-positive (eg, if diagnostic tests to identify mothers at risk of transmission are not available) could be a cost-effective alternative, depending on prevailing costs of diagnostics and antiviral therapy. Full-Text PDF Open Access