Costs and benefits of implementing child survival services at a private mining company in Peru.
Costs and savings of child health services were studied in a private mining company in Peru. Despite considerable outlays for medical services, few children under age 5 were vaccinated, and half of their illnesses went untreated. Children who were attended at the company clinic usually received unnecessary medication. As a result of the study, the company hired additional staff to provide integrated maternal-child preventive health care and family planning and contracted for intensive training and periodic on-site supervision. In less than 2 years, vaccination coverage reached 75%, and virtually all children under age 1 were enrolled in growth monitoring. Prescriptions were reduced by 24%, including a 67% drop in antimicrobials. The cost of the new services was $13,200 for the first 2 years. Approximately $6800 has been saved in pharmaceuticals prescribed for respiratory infection and diarrhea. Recently, two more mines adopted maternal and child health and family planning services. It is hoped that cost-benefit arguments will encourage other companies to incorporate aggressive child survival measures into their health plans.
Foreit
K G
KG
Futures Group, Washington, DC 20005-5601.
Haustein
D
D
Winterhalter
M
M
La Mata
E
E
D002662:Child Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004363:Drug Utilization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008906:Mining; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D010568:Peru; D014611:Vaccination