Cost-effectiveness of One Health intervention to reduce risk of human exposure and infection with non-typhoidal salmonellosis (NTS) in Nigeria

Background

Non-typhoidal Salmonella infection (NTS) is an important foodborne zoonosis with underappreciated health and economic burdens, and low case fatality. It has global prevalence, with more burdens in under-resourced countries with poor health infrastructures. Using a cohort study, we determined the cost-effectiveness of NTS in humans in Nigeria for the year 2020.

Methods

Using a customized Excel-based cost-effectiveness analysis tool, structured (One Health) and unstructured (episodic intervention against NTS) in Nigeria were evaluated. Input data on the disease burdens, costs surveillance, response and control of NTS were obtained from validated sources and the public health system.

Results

The non-complicated and complicated cases were 309,444 (95%) and 16,287 (5%) respectively, and the overall programme cost was US$ 31,375,434.38. The current non-systematic episodic intervention costed US$ 14,913,480.36, indicating an additional US$ 16,461,954 to introduce the proposed intervention. The intervention will avert 4036.98 NTS DALYs in a single year. The non-complicated NTS case was US$ 60/person with significant rise in complicated cases. The cumulative costs of NTS with and without complications far outweighed the program cost for One Health intervention with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of -US$ 221.30).

Conclusions

Utilising structured One Health intervention is cost-effective against NTS in Nigeria, it carries additional mitigative benefits for other diseases and is less costly and more effective, indicative of a superior health system approach. Identified limitations must be improved to optimize benefits associated and facilitate policy discussions and resource allocation.