Polio Cost Effectiveness in Nigeria; A Lesson to Be Learnt

Abstract

This review paper highlights the importance of a cost effective intervention in global polio eradication fight for developing nations. The main aim of this paper is to propose an intervention which is highly cost effective for Nigeria where polio is still prevalent. This paper examines cost effectiveness analysis of a feign one-year vaccination intervention using the oral polio vaccine (OPV) in Kano State, Nigeria. To establish cost-effectiveness healthy days saved by this vaccination intervention were used instead of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYS). In this case cost effectiveness was established by dividing intervention cost ($1.7 million) to the number of healthy days saved ($2485) to get cost per day of healthy life ($472). This cost effective intervention gives about $472 cost per day of healthy life which was then compared with the GDP per income of Kano ($1288). It was evident from the results of the study that as the cost of the intervention is below the GDP per capita of Kano, Nigeria which means this method is highly cost efficient. The cost effectiveness of this intervention implies that the program of vaccination is economically viable and should therefore be encouraged, than just concentrating on treating polio. With the economic crunch times in the world, there is a strong urge for cost effective programs to address for deadly diseases and the evaluated intervention would be one of them.