Programmes for the prevention of mother-to-child HIV infection transmission have made progress in Yunnan Province, China, from 2006 to 2015: a cost effective and cost-benefit evaluation

• Published in: BMC infectious diseases 2019-01, Vol.19 (1), p.64-64, Article 64
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiaowen, Guo, Guangping, Zheng, Jiarui, Lu, Lin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Antiretroviral drugs; Cost benefit; Cost benefit analysis; Cost effective; Demographic aspects; Disease transmission; Economic evaluation; Economics; Efavirenz; Expenditures; Family; Health care; Health care costs; HIV; HIV infections; HIV patients; Human immunodeficiency virus; Infants; Infectious diseases; Investment; Investments; Medical economics; Medical research; Neonatal diseases; Pediatrics; Prevention; Prevention mother-to-child transmission of HIV; Production management; Retirement benefits; Return on investment; Womens health; Yunnan Province
• ISSN: 1471-2334; 1471-2334
• DOI: 10.1186/s12879-019-3708-x

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV programmes have substantially reduced HIV infections among infants in Yunnan Province, China. We conducted a macro-level economic evaluation of Yunnan's PMTCT programmes over the 10 years from 2006 to 2015 from a policymaker perspective. The study methodology was in accordance with the guidelines from the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement. We quantified the output from the Yunnan's PMTCT programmes by estimating the number of paediatric HIV infections averted and the relative savings to both the health care system and society. The return-on-investment ratio (ROI) was calculated as the output (numerator) divided by the input (denominator). We have found that the US$ 49 million investment in Yunnan's PMTCT programmes over the period from 2006 to 2015 averted an estimated 2725 new paediatric HIV infections and resulted in an estimated 134,008 QALY acquired. It saved an estimated US$ 0.5 billion in treatment expenditures for Yunnan's healthcare system and nearly US$ 3.9 billion in productivity. The ROI was 88.4, meaning every US$ 1 invested brought about US$ 88.4 in benefits. Our results support the ongoing investment in PMTCT programmes in Yunnan Province. The PMTCT strategy is a cost effective and cost-benefit strategy in the periods from 2006 to 2015. Despite higher investments in the future, the overall investment in the PMTCT programmes in Yunnan province could be offset by averting more paediatric infections.