Is scaling-up COVID-19 testing cost-saving?

Sousa‐Pinto, Bernardo; Fonseca, João; Costa‐Pereira, Altamiro; Rocha-Gonçalves, Francisco Nuno

doi:10.1101/2020.03.22.20041137

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Of that, USD 1.33 was spent on sample collection, and USD 3.91 was accrued to diagnose COVID-19 after receiving the samples to a COVID-19 laboratory unit. These costs might vary across countries according to the type of testing and resources used [ 25 , 26 ]. The cost to identify a COVID-19 positive individual was USD 49.33, of which sample collection contributed to USD 11.63, and the cost to identify a COVID-19 positive individual after receiving the sample to the laboratory is about USD 37.70.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cost-analysis of COVID-19 sample collection, diagnosis, and contact tracing in low resource setting: The case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

et al. 2022

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Background Ethiopia has been responding to the COVID-19 pandemic through a combination of interventions, including non-pharmaceutical interventions, quarantine, testing, isolation, contact tracing, and clinical management. Estimating the resources consumed for COVID-19 prevention and control could inform efficient decision-making for epidemic/pandemic-prone diseases in the future. This study aims to estimate the unit cost of COVID-19 sample collection, laboratory diagnosis, and contact tracing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods Primary and secondary data were collected to estimate the costs of COVID-19 sample collection, diagnosis, and contact tracing. A healthcare system perspective was used. We used a combination of micro-costing (bottom-up) and top-down approaches to estimate resources consumed and the unit costs of the interventions. We used available cost and outcome data between May and December 2020. The costs were classified into capital and recurrent inputs to estimate unit and total costs. We identified the cost drivers of the interventions. We reported the cost for the following outcome measures: (1) cost per sample collected, (2) cost per laboratory diagnosis, (3) cost per sample collected and laboratory diagnosis, (4) cost per contact traced, and (5) cost per COVID-19 positive test identified. We conducted one-way sensitivity analysis by varying the input parameters. All costs were reported in US dollars (USD). Results The unit cost per sample collected was USD 1.33. The unit cost of tracing a contact of an index case was USD 0.66. The unit cost of COVID-19 diagnosis, excluding the cost for sample collection was USD 3.91. The unit cost of sample collection per COVID-19 positive individual was USD 11.63. The unit cost for COVID-19 positive test through contact tracing was USD 54.00. The unit cost COVID-19 DNA PCR diagnosis for identifying COVID-19 positive individuals, excluding the sample collection and transport cost, was USD 37.70. The cost per COVID-19 positive case identified was USD 49.33 including both sample collection and laboratory diagnosis costs. Among the cost drivers, personnel cost (salary and food cost) takes the highest share for all interventions, ranging from 51–76% of the total cost. Conclusion The costs of sample collection, diagnosis, and contact tracing for COVID-19 were high given the low per capita health expenditure in Ethiopia and other low-income settings. Since the personnel cost accounts for the highest cost, decision-makers should focus on minimizing this cost when faced with pandemic-prone diseases by strengthening the health system and using digital platforms. The findings of this study can help decision-makers prioritize and allocate resources for effective public health emergency response.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As Ethiopia scaled up its testing capacity, efficient resource allocation to COVID-19 sample collection and testing would benefit the health system. Scaling up testing capacity is cost-efficient as it averts hospitalizations due to COVID-19 disease [ 26 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cost-analysis of COVID-19 sample collection, diagnosis, and contact tracing in low resource setting: The case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

et al. 2022

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Section: A Practical Framework Of a Three-layer Defence Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The cost of strengthening preparedness and scaling testing is much lower than hospitalisation costs related to advanced treatment. 16 One study estimates that the average cost of advanced case management for COVID-19 in the USA is about US$73 000 per person. 17 Expenditure in precrises layers that focus on prevention, preparedness and strengthening service delivery is far smaller and ultimately more effective in preventing epidemics and their secondary impacts than investments to fight a full-fledged epidemic in the final layer (eg, building more hospital capacity, stockpiling ventilators and therapeutic drugs).…”

Section: Summary Boxmentioning

confidence: 99%

A three-layer system to win the war against COVID-19 and invest in health systems of the future

et al. 2021

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The COVID-19 pandemic taught us many lessons, most critically that its human and economic toll would have been significantly smaller if countries had in place strong layers of defence that would have either prevented the spillover of the SARS-CoV-2 into a human population in the first place, or, failing that, contained the outbreak to avert its global spread. Further, the brunt of COVID-19 impacts on some countries considered ‘most prepared’ for pandemics underscored the need for an integrated approach to ensure resilience to future epidemics. Consequently, as countries plan ahead to prevent future pandemics, they should give priority to investments that transform their systems, particularly in the precrises phase, to preparedness and response through a multilayered defence. We propose a three-layered approach for post-COVID-19 investments in public health functions and service delivery, particularly at the community and precrises levels. This framework highlights the interventions that enable countries to better prevent, detect and contain epidemic threats, and that strengthen the efficient use of limited resources towards high-impact precrises systems.

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“…Investigators advised that scaling up testing could be cost-saving, since early isolation would lead to prevention of new infections and fewer hospitalizations. 3 Scientific knowledge was evolving. .…”

Section: Then What?mentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19: Once upon a time in Portugal

Guimarães

2020

Pulmonology

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Is scaling-up COVID-19 testing cost-saving?

Cited by 4 publications

References 2 publications

Cost-analysis of COVID-19 sample collection, diagnosis, and contact tracing in low resource setting: The case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Cost-analysis of COVID-19 sample collection, diagnosis, and contact tracing in low resource setting: The case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

A three-layer system to win the war against COVID-19 and invest in health systems of the future

COVID-19: Once upon a time in Portugal

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