Objective To compare the cost-effectiveness of three different methods for congenital heart disease (CHD) screening among the children living in impoverished Cambodian communities and to provide references for improving health care foreign aid project under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Methods In 2018, we collected the data on screening of CHD in community children in four provinces of Cambodia. The cost for examination of per child, diagnostic cost per confirmed case, and cost for medical personnel were calculated for one of the three screening implementations performed by the team of Chinese medical staff, Chinese and Cambodian staff, and Cambodia staff trained by Chinese professionals, respectively.
Results For the screenings conducted by a team of Chinese staff, Chinese and Cambodian staff, and Cambodian staff, the cost for medical workers were 2 122.25, 1 191.93, and 691.00 (yuan RMB) per worker/per day; the cost for one child′s screening were 19.37, 42.12, and 11.46; and the total cost for the confirmation of one CHD case were 9 794.99, 23 838.54, and 13 820.00, respectively.
Conclusion Both the per capita unit cost and the effectiveness are the highest for the screening conducted by the team of Chinese medical staff, followed by the screening by the team of Chinese and Cambodian staff, but the cost and the effectiveness are the lowest for the screening by the team of Cambodian staff. The screening performed by both Chinese and Cambodian medical staff is of high approval and good community mobilization and sustainability, which are helpful to reduce medical practice-related risk.
DownLoad: