title: Cost Effectiveness of Implementing Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses Program in District Faridabad, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the evidence for preventing childhood morbidity and mortality, financial resources are cited as a constraint for Governments to scale up the key health interventions in some countries. We evaluate the cost effectiveness of implementing IMNCI program in India from a health system and societal perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  We parameterized a decision analytic model to assess incremental cost effectiveness of IMNCI program as against routine child health services for infant population at district level in India. Using a 15-years time horizon from 2007 to 2022, we populated the model using data on costs and effects as found from a cluster-randomized trial to assess effectiveness of IMNCI program in Haryana state. Effectiveness was estimated as reduction in infant illness episodes, deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALY). Incremental cost per DALY averted was used to estimate cost effectiveness of IMNCI. Future costs and effects were discounted at a rate of 3%. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was undertaken to estimate the probability of IMNCI to be cost effective at varying willingness to pay thresholds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Implementation of IMNCI results in a cumulative reduction of 57,384 illness episodes, 2369 deaths and 76,158 DALYs among infants at district level from 2007 to 2022. Overall, from a health system perspective, IMNCI program incurs an incremental cost of USD 34.5 (INR 1554) per DALY averted, USD 34.5 (INR 1554) per life year gained, USD 1110 (INR 49,963) per infant death averted. There is 90% probability for ICER to be cost effective at INR 2300 willingness to pay, which is 5.5% of India's GDP per capita. From a societal perspective, IMNCI program incurs an additional cost of USD 24.1 (INR 1082) per DALY averted, USD 773 (INR 34799) per infant death averted and USD 26.3 (INR 1183) per illness averted in during infancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IMNCI program in Indian context is very cost effective and should be scaled-up as a major child survival strategy.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Shankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prinja
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bahuguna
authors.affiliation: UNICEF India Country Office, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Pavitra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sarmila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazumder
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taneja
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Nita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhandari
authors.affiliation: UNICEF India Country Office, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van den Hombergh
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D046688:Child Mortality; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn