• 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 62  (5) , 795-802
Abstract
A cost-effectiveness analysis of the Onchocerciasis Control Program in Upper Volta is presented. The analysis uses a new approach to the measurement of health project effectiveness, by considering the number of healthy years of life added by the prevention of permanent disability and premature death attributable to onchocercal blindness. The approach emphasizes the central role of social value judgements in allocating health resources, in particular, the relative weights assigned to preventing disability and postponing death, present and future health benefits, and health gains among productive and non-productive individuals. The quantitative results yield the following cost-effectiveness estimates for blindness prevention through onchocerciasis control: US$20 per year of healthy life and per productive year of healthy life added, US$150 per discounted year of healthy life and per discounted productive year of healthy life added. As an illustrative example, a comparison is made with estimates of the cost-effectiveness of measles immunization.