OBJECTIVES

Blood collections in Sub-Saharan Africa do not meet the international recommendations for the supply of blood and blood components. Due to these shortages, common clinical indications such as severe maternal bleeding cannot be treated effectively. This research intends to estimate the health economic impact of blood shortages on maternal bleeding in Kenya, Ivory Coast and Ghana.

METHODS

The study consisted out of 3 steps. First the volume and consequences of maternal bleeding were identified by means of literature review and epidemiological research. Next, the costs associated with the treatment of severe maternal bleeding were mapped. Lastly, a de novo budget impact model was created that compared costs associated with consequences of severe maternal bleeding (i.e. the cost of a life lost according to WHO and European Commission Guidelines) versus the cost of investment in blood supply.

RESULTS :

There are an estimated 2,962,000 births per year in the countries under review. In 237,000 cases the mother of the child will be confronted with maternal bleeding, for 60,000 of those, this bleeding will require massive blood transfusion. Not all patients will get appropriate blood transfusion, resulting in a potential loss of 11,254 lives. With low modal income per inhabitant (121 € per month) this results in a total cost of lives lost of € 16,043,000 per year. The total expected cost to provide sufficient blood transfusion (13 units) to these patients we found was € 28,600,000. Hence it requires less than 2 years for local governments to have a positive return on the investment in blood availability. The total economic growth thanks to blood availability for Kenya, Ivory Coast and Ghana after 5 years was € 51,600,000.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research suggests that an increased in investment in SSA’s blood safety value chain is likely to provide large positive returns in less than 5 years.