Health-care investments for the urban populations, Bangladesh and India

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2020-01, Vol.98 (1), p.19-29
• Main Authors: Wu, Daphne Cn, Banzon, Eduardo P, Gelband, Hellen, Chin, Brian, Malhotra, Varsha, Khetrapal, Sonalini, Watkins, David, Ra, Sungsup, Jamison, Dean T, Jha, Prabhat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bangladesh - epidemiology; Cancer; Censuses; Communicable Disease Control - economics; Consensus methods; Cost estimates; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Costs; Death; Death & dying; Demography; Disease control; Disease prevention; Fatalities; Health; Health care; Health care policy; Health services; Health Services Needs and Demand - economics; Health surveys; Hospitals; Humans; India - epidemiology; Infrastructure; Intervention; Maternal & child health; Maternal-Child Health Services - economics; Medical treatment; Models, Economic; Mortality; Mortality - trends; Noncommunicable diseases; Noncommunicable Diseases - prevention & control; Noncommunicable Diseases - therapy; Population growth; Populations; Predation; Prevention; Priorities; Socioeconomic Factors; Sustainable development; Urban areas; Urban Health Services - economics; Urban Health Services - organization & administration; Urban population; Urban populations
• ISSN: 0042-9686; 1564-0604; 1564-0604
• DOI: 10.2471/BLT.19.234252

To estimate the costs and mortality reductions of a package of essential health interventions for urban populations in Bangladesh and India. We used population data from the countries' censuses and United Nations Population Division. For causes of mortality in India, we used the Indian Million Death Study. We obtained cost estimates of each intervention from the third edition of . For estimating the mortality reductions expected with the package, we used the model. We calculated the benefit-cost ratio for investing in the package, using an analysis based on the Copenhagen Consensus method. Per urban inhabitant, total costs for the package would be 75.1 United States dollars (US$) in Bangladesh and US$ 105.0 in India. Of this, prevention and treatment of noncommunicable diseases account for US$ 36.5 in Bangladesh and U$ 51.7 in India. The incremental cost per urban inhabitant for all interventions would be US$ 50 in Bangladesh and US$ 75 in India. In 2030, the averted deaths among people younger than 70 years would constitute 30.5% (1027/3362) and 21.2% (828/3913) of the estimated baseline deaths in Bangladesh and India, respectively. The health benefits of investing in the package would return US$ 1.2 per dollar spent in Bangladesh and US$ 1.8 per dollar spent in India. Investing in the package of essential health interventions, which address health-care needs of the growing urban population in Bangladesh and India, seems beneficial and could help the countries to achieve their 2030 sustainable development goals.