A new study published in PLOS Global Public Health used cost-effectiveness analysis to determine what COVID-19 vaccines to buy, how to deliver these, and age groups to target to ensure the optimal use of health resources in Nigeria. A consortium of researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria, tested several scenarios and combined the use of an epidemiological model of virus transmission parameterized with Nigeria-specific data with a costing model that incorporated local resource use assumptions and prices, both for vaccine delivery as well as costs associated with care and treatment of COVID-19.
The analysis found that viral vector vaccines are cost-effective (or cost saving), particularly when targeting older adults. Despite higher efficacy, vaccines employing mRNA technologies were found to be less cost-effective due to high current dose prices. The method of delivery of vaccines makes little difference to the cost-effectiveness of the vaccine. From a health system perspective, viral vector vaccines may represent most cost-effective choices for Nigeria, although this may change with price negotiation.
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