PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://www.plosntds.org/
(Accessed 2 April 2016)

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Research Article
Cost-Effectiveness of Antivenoms for Snakebite Envenoming in 16 Countries in West Africa
Muhammad Hamza, Maryam A. Idris, Musa B. Maiyaki, Mohammed Lamorde, Jean-Philippe Chippaux, David A. Warrell, Andreas Kuznik, Abdulrazaq G. Habib
Research Article | published 30 Mar 2016 | PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0004568
Author Summary
Antivenom is the main intervention against snakebite poisoning but is relatively scarce, unaffordable and the situation has been compounded further by the recent cessation of production of effective antivenoms and marketing of inappropriate products. Given this crisis, we assessed the cost effectiveness of providing antivenoms in West Africa by comparing costs associated with antivenom treatment against their health benefits in decreasing mortality. In the most comprehensive analyses ever conducted, it was observed the incremental cost effectiveness ratio of providing antivenom ranged from $1,997 in Guinea Bissau to $6,205 for Liberia and Sierra-Leone per death averted while cost per Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) averted ranged from $83 for Benin Republic to $281 for Sierra-Leone. There is probability of 97.3–100% that antivenoms are very cost-effective in the analyses. These demonstrate antivenom is highly cost-effective and compares favorably to other commonly funded healthcare interventions. Providing and broadening antivenom access throughout areas at risk in rural West Africa should be prioritized given the considerable reduction in deaths and DALYs that could be derived at a relatively small cost.