Modeling the Cost-Effectiveness of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) System: Meningitis in Burkina Faso

BACKGROUND: Effective surveillance for infectious diseases is an essential component of public health. There are few studies estimating the cost-effectiveness of starting or improving disease surveillance. We present a cost-effectiveness analysis the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy in Africa. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To assess the impact of the IDSR in Africa, we used pre- and post- IDSR meningococcal meningitis surveillance data from Burkina Faso (1996–2002 and 2003–2007). IDSR implementation was correlated with a median reduction of 2 weeks to peak of outbreaks (25(th) percentile 1 week; 75(th) percentile 4 weeks). IDSR was also correlated with a reduction of 43 meningitis cases per 100,000 (25(th)–40: 75(th)-129). Assuming the correlations between reductions in time to peak of outbreaks and cases are related, the cost-effectiveness of IDSR was $23 per case averted (25(th)-$30; 75(th) - cost saving), and $98 per meningitis-related death averted (25(th)-$140: 75(th) – cost saving). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We cannot absolutely claim that the measured differences were due to IDSR. We believe, however, that it is reasonable to claim that IDSR can improve the cost-effectiveness of public health surveillance.