The costs and effects of a nationwide insecticide-treated net programme: the case of Malawi

BACKGROUND: Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are a proven intervention to reduce the burden of malaria, yet there remains a debate as to the best method of ensuring they are universally utilized. This study is a cost-effectiveness analysis of an intervention in Malawi that started in 1998, in Blantyre district, before expanding nationwide. Over the 5-year period, 1. 5 million ITNs were sold. METHODS: The costs were calculated retrospectively through analysis of expenditure data. Costs and effects were measured as cost per treated-net year (cost/TNY) and cost per net distributed. RESULTS: The mean cost/TNY was calculated at 4. 41, and the mean cost/ITN distributed at 2. 63. It also shows evidence of economies of scale, with the cost/TNY falling from 7. 69 in year one (72, 196 ITN) to 3. 44 in year five (720, 577 ITN). Cost/ITN distributed dropped from 5. 04 to 1. 92. CONCLUSION: Combining targeting and social marketing has the potential of being both cost-effective and capable of achieving high levels of coverage, and it is possible that increasing returns to scale can be achieved.