title: Costs of using "tiny targets" to control Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, a vector of gambiense sleeping sickness in Arua District of Uganda.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the relative effectiveness of tsetse control methods, their costs need to be analysed alongside their impact on tsetse populations. Very little has been published on the costs of methods specifically targeting human African trypanosomiasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In northern Uganda, a 250 km2 field trial was undertaken using small (0.5 X 0.25 m) insecticide-treated targets ("tiny targets"). Detailed cost recording accompanied every phase of the work. Costs were calculated for this operation as if managed by the Ugandan vector control services: removing purely research components of the work and applying local salaries. This calculation assumed that all resources are fully used, with no spare capacity. The full cost of the operation was assessed at USD 85.4 per km2, of which USD 55.7 or 65.2% were field costs, made up of three component activities (target deployment: 34.5%, trap monitoring: 10.6% and target maintenance: 20.1%). The remaining USD 29.7 or 34.8% of the costs were for preliminary studies and administration (tsetse surveys: 6.0%, sensitisation of local populations: 18.6% and office support: 10.2%). Targets accounted for only 12.9% of the total cost, other important cost components were labour (24.1%) and transport (34.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comparison with the updated cost of historical HAT vector control projects and recent estimates indicates that this work represents a major reduction in cost levels. This is attributed not just to the low unit cost of tiny targets but also to the organisation of delivery, using local labour with bicycles or motorcycles. Sensitivity analyses were undertaken, investigating key prices and assumptions. It is believed that these costs are generalizable to other HAT foci, although in more remote areas, with denser vegetation and fewer people, costs would increase, as would be the case for other tsetse control techniques.
authors: Division of Pathway Medicine and Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; AP Consultants, Walworth Business Park, Andover, United Kingdom.
authors: Alexandra P M
authors: AP
authors: Shaw
authors: Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors: Inaki
authors: I
authors: Tirados
authors: Bindura University of Science Education, Department of Animal Science, Bindura, Zimbabwe.
authors: Clement T N
authors: CT
authors: Mangwiro
authors: Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Esterhuizen
authors: Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Lehane
authors: Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Warwick Medical School, The University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.
authors: Stephen J
authors: SJ
authors: Torr
authors: Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors: Vanja
authors: V
authors: Kovacic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007300:Insect Control / Q000191:economics*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014370:Tsetse Flies / Q000187:drug effects; D014454:Uganda
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides