BACKGROUND: Maternal and congenital syphilis prevalence rates are currently rapidly increasing in Mongolia. The Ministry of Health has been implementing on-site rapid screening test (RT) intervention and same day treatment approach for maternal syphilis with the contribution of the WHO since November 2007. OBJECTIVES: To understand the cost- effectiveness (CE) of screening antenatal syphilis using the RT strategy, to compare this intervention with RPR testing strategy. And in order to estimate CE we found out maternal syphilis prevalence. METHODS: Ingredients-based cost data and epidemiological data were collected retrospectively. Descriptive analysis has done for prevalence of syphilis, and economic analysis has done to calculate costs. Stability of cost-effectiveness ratios were evaluated by the univariate sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: With antenatal syphilis prevalence of 3.0% (1.46% in urban and 5.7% in sub-urban area), the cost effectiveness was US$ 14.60/DALY for RT intervention and US$ 17.88/DALY for RPR intervention. CERs were more sensitive to the prevalence rate, sensitivity of tests, and DALY discount rate. CONCLUSION: Using the on-site antenatal rapid testing, same day treatment for positive results, and confirmed by RPR testing approach is cost-effective in Mongolia.
BACKGROUND: Maternal and congenital syphilis prevalence rates are currently rapidly increasing in Mongolia. The Ministry of Health has been implementing on-site rapid screening test (RT) intervention and same day treatment approach for maternal syphilis with the contribution of the WHO since November 2007. OBJECTIVES: To understand the cost- effectiveness (CE) of screening antenatal syphilis using the RT strategy, to compare this intervention with RPR testing strategy. And in order to estimate CE we found out maternal syphilis prevalence. METHODS: Ingredients-based cost data and epidemiological data were collected retrospectively. Descriptive analysis has done for prevalence of syphilis, and economic analysis has done to calculate costs. Stability of cost-effectiveness ratios were evaluated by the univariate sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: With antenatal syphilis prevalence of 3.0% (1.46% in urban and 5.7% in sub-urban area), the cost effectiveness was US$ 14.60/DALY for RT intervention and US$ 17.88/DALY for RPR intervention. CERs were more sensitive to the prevalence rate, sensitivity of tests, and DALY discount rate. CONCLUSION: Using the on-site antenatal rapid testing, same day treatment for positive results, and confirmed by RPR testing approach is cost-effective in Mongolia.