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. 2010 Jul;83(1):61-8.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0632.

Cost savings with rapid diagnostic tests for malaria in low-transmission areas: evidence from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Joshua Yukich  1 , Valerie D'Acremont, Judith Kahama, Ndeniria Swai, Christian Lengeler
Affiliations

Cost savings with rapid diagnostic tests for malaria in low-transmission areas: evidence from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Joshua Yukich et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Jul.

Abstract

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria may help rationalize antimalarial drug use. However, the economic effects of these tests may vary. Data on costs were collected from 259 patients in 6 health facilities by using exit and in-charge interviews and record reviews during a trial of RDT rollout in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The RDTs decreased patient expenditure on drugs (savings = U.S. $0.36; P = 0.002) and provider drug costs (savings = U.S. $0.43; P = 0.034) compared with control facilities. However, RDT introduction did not significantly reduce patients' overall expenditures (U.S. $1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] = $0.76-$1.36 versus U.S. $1.33 95% CI = $0.99-$1.77) and may increase total provider costs (U.S. $3.63, 95% CI = $3.40-$3.89 versus U.S. $2.32, 95% CI = $1.99-$2.69) compared with control facilities. Clinician's compliance with test results was higher with RDTs than with routine microscopy (95% versus 82%; P = 0.002). The RDTs reduced drug costs in this setting but did not offset the cost of the tests, although they also resulted in non-monetary benefits, including improved management of patients and increased compliance with test results.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The main sponsoring institution (Swiss National Science Foundation) had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation or writing of this report. All authors had full access to all study data.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Losses to follow-up during the study, Tanzania.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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