Costs of Transmission Assessment Surveys to Provide Evidence for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis

Molly A Brady; Rachel Stelmach; Margaret Davide-Smith; Jim Johnson; Bolivar Pou; Joseph Koroma; Kingsley Frimpong; Angela Weaver

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005097

Costs of Transmission Assessment Surveys to Provide Evidence for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017 Feb 1;11(2):e0005097. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005097. eCollection 2017 Feb.

Authors

Molly A Brady¹, Rachel Stelmach¹, Margaret Davide-Smith¹, Jim Johnson², Bolivar Pou², Joseph Koroma², Kingsley Frimpong³, Angela Weaver⁴

Affiliations

¹ Global Health Department, RTI International, Washington, DC, United States of America.
² Global Health, Population, and Nutrition (GHPN) Department, FHI360, Washington DC, United States of America.
³ Emerging Markets, Deloitte Consulting, Accra, Ghana.
⁴ Neglected Tropical Disease Program, United States Agency for International Development, Washington DC, United States of America.

Abstract

Background: To reach the global goal of elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem by 2020, national programs will have to implement a series of transmission assessment surveys (TAS) to determine prevalence of the disease by evaluation unit. It is expected that 4,671 surveys will be required by 2020. Planning in advance for the costs associated with these surveys is essential to ensure that the required resources are available for this essential program activity.

Methodology and findings: Retrospective cost data was collected from reports from 13 countries which implemented a total of 105 TAS surveys following a standardized World Health Organization (WHO) protocol between 2012 and 2014. The median cost per survey was $21,170 (including the costs for rapid diagnostic tests [RDTs]) and $9,540 excluding those costs. Median cost per cluster sampled (without RDT costs) was $101. Analysis of costs (excluding RDTs) by category showed that the main cost drivers were personnel and travel.

Conclusion: Transmission assessment surveys are critical to collect evidence to validate elimination of LF as a public health problem. National programs and donors can use the costing results to adequately plan and forecast the resources required to undertake the necessary activities to conduct high-quality transmission assessment surveys.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Cost of Illness
Elephantiasis, Filarial / diagnosis
Elephantiasis, Filarial / economics*
Elephantiasis, Filarial / prevention & control
Elephantiasis, Filarial / transmission
Global Health
Health Surveys / economics*
Humans
Retrospective Studies
World Health Organization

Grants and funding

This work was made possible thanks to the generous support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (https://www.usaid.gov/) and the ENVISION project led by RTI International (AID-OAA-A-11-00048). Additionally, Angela Weaver is employed by USAID. Her specific contributions are detailed in the 'author contributions' section. Via Angela Weaver, USAID contributed to study aims and review of the manuscript, but had no role in data collection and analysis. The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.