Cost-effectiveness of sleeping sickness elimination campaigns in five settings of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Nat Commun. 2022 Feb 25;13(1):1051. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-28598-w.

Abstract

Gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT) is marked for elimination of transmission by 2030, but the disease persists in several low-income countries. We couple transmission and health outcomes models to examine the cost-effectiveness of four gHAT elimination strategies in five settings - spanning low- to high-risk - of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Alongside passive screening in fixed health facilities, the strategies include active screening at average or intensified coverage levels, alone or with vector control with a scale-back algorithm when no cases are reported for three consecutive years. In high or moderate-risk settings, costs of gHAT strategies are primarily driven by active screening and, if used, vector control. Due to the cessation of active screening and vector control, most investments (75-80%) are made by 2030 and vector control might be cost-saving while ensuring elimination of transmission. In low-risk settings, costs are driven by passive screening, and minimum-cost strategies consisting of active screening and passive screening lead to elimination of transmission by 2030 with high probability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Mass Screening
  • Trypanosoma brucei gambiense
  • Trypanosomiasis, African* / epidemiology
  • Trypanosomiasis, African* / prevention & control