Resource deployment and donation allocation for epidemic outbreaks

Abstract

Non-profit organizations play a central role in responding to the devastating consequences of epidemic outbreaks in developing economies. We propose an epidemic response model in resource-limited countries that determines the number, size, and location of treatment facilities, deploys critical medical staff, locates ambulances to triage points, and organizes the transportation of severely ill patients to treatment facilities. The model is based on the 2010 cholera outbreak in Haiti and is general enough to be used for similar epidemic outbreaks. The model enables not-for-profit decision-makers to assess health care triage capabilities, transportation needs, and requirements for medical personnel staffing and deployment. We propose an algorithmic procedure using hierarchical constraints and valid inequalities that reduce the solution time by one order of magnitude. Additionally, we propose a framework that can be used to optimally allocate a donation, to determine a list of priorities for earmarked donations, and to perform a cost-benefit analysis of an intervention strategy financed by a donation. The model is formulated as a large integer problem with many symmetries. An extended analysis based on the 2010 cholera outbreak in Haiti provides insights about: the criticality of the resources, the implementation of a balanced response strategy, the optimal allocation of resources in terms of the severity of the attack rate, and the benefits of the proposed response approach with respect to other intervention strategies.