A study published in BMJ Global Health of the cost of public health interventions in response to the Ebola outbreak during 2018-2020 has estimated the cost of vaccination at US$120.70 per vaccinated individual. Researchers estimated the cost of various aspects of the public health response to Ebola virus disease including coordination, clinical management of cases, surveillance and vaccination, infection prevention and control/WASH and risk communication.
Vaccination consumed US$122.24 million (15.9%) of the budget of the public health response, with a ring vaccination approach being implemented where both direct and indirect contacts of a probable and confirmed Ebola case were vaccinated. The intense contact tracing required for this approach was time-consuming, and health workers faced additionally challenges due to insecurity, population displacement and community resistance.
The high personnel cost of international staff was the main driver of the high vaccination cost, although due to this being an experimental vaccine, it required a strict protocol with certified supervisors to ensure the licensing of the vaccine. Vaccination was later transitioned to local teams which lower costs and improved trust.
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