Economic evaluation of postdischarge malaria chemoprevention in preschool children treated for severe anaemia in Malawi, Kenya, and Uganda: A cost-effectiveness analysis

Background: Children hospitalised with severe anaemia in malaria-endemic areas are at a high risk of dying or being readmitted within six months of discharge. A trial in Kenya and Uganda showed that three months of postdischarge malaria chemoprevention (PDMC) with monthly dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) substantially reduced this risk. The World Health Organization recently included PDMC in its malaria chemoprevention guidelines. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of community-based PDMC delivery (supplying all three PDMC-DP courses to caregivers at discharge to administer at home), facility-based PDMC delivery (monthly dispensing of PDMC-DP at the hospital), and the standard of care (no PDMC). Methods: We combined data from two recently completed trials; one placebo-controlled trial in Kenya and Uganda collecting efficacy data (May 6, 2016 until November 15, 2018; n=1049), and one delivery mechanism trial from Malawi collecting adherence data (March 24, 2016 until October 3, 2018; n=375). Cost data were collected alongside both trials. Three Markov decision models, one each for Malawi, Kenya, and Uganda, were used to compute incremental cost-effectiveness ratios expressed as costs per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to account for uncertainty. Findings: Both PDMC strategies were cost-saving in each country, meaning less costly and more effective in increasing health-adjusted life expectancy than the standard of care. The estimated incremental cost savings for community-based PDMC compared to the standard of care were US$ 22·10 (Malawi), 38·52 (Kenya), and 26·23 (Uganda) per child treated. The incremental effectiveness gain using either PDMC strategy varied between 0·3 and 0·4 QALYs. Community-based PDMC was less costly and more effective than facility-based PDMC. These results remained robust in sensitivity analyses. Interpretation: PDMC under implementation conditions is cost-saving. Caregivers receiving PDMC at discharge is a cost-effective delivery strategy for implementation in malaria-endemic southeastern African settings. Funding: Research Council of Norway.