The Monetary Value of Disability-Adjusted-Life-Years Lost in the East African Community in 2015

Abstract

The East African Community (EAC) member states (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) incur annually a huge loss of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) from communicable and non-communicable diseases and injuries annually. This study estimated the monetary value of DALYs lost in the EAC in 2015 without and with UN the health Sustainable Development Goal 3. The monetary value of DALYs lost in the EAC was estimated by multiplying the estimated DALYs associated with different diseases by GDP per capita net of health expenditures. The 82,017,651 DALYs lost in EAC in 2015 had a monetary value of Int$ 203,843,476,166. About 58.2% resulted from Communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions; 30.3% from non-communicable diseases (NCDs); and 11.5% from injuries. Burundi incurred 2.8% of the total monetary value of DALYs, Kenya 33.9%, Rwanda 4.2%, Tanzania 39.5%, and Uganda 19.6%. The EAC could save approximately 31% of the total monetary value of DALYs lost if SDG 3 targets are fully achieved. Therefore, EAC member states should invest adequately into strengthening of national health systems and other systems that address social determinants to ensure healthy lives and promotion of well-being for all people at all ages.