African Ecosystems Research (Environmental Science) | 19 July 2002
Evaluating the Cost-Effectiveness of Public Health Surveillance Systems in Rwanda Using Panel Data Analysis
N, k, u, r, u, n, z, i, z, a, N, s, h, i, m, i, r, i, m, a, n, a
Abstract
Public health surveillance systems play a crucial role in monitoring infectious diseases to prevent outbreaks. Rwanda has established such systems but lacks comprehensive evaluations of their cost-effectiveness. A mixed-method approach was employed, integrating quantitative panel data analyses with qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews. The study utilised a fixed effects model to estimate the impact of surveillance system investments on health outcomes over time. The analysis revealed that an investment ratio of $150 per capita in public health surveillance systems led to a reduction in infectious disease incidence by approximately 20% within two years, with robust standard errors indicating high confidence in these estimates. This study provides empirical evidence on the cost-effectiveness of surveillance investments in Rwanda, offering policymakers clear guidance for resource allocation in future public health initiatives. Based on findings, it is recommended that Rwanda invests a proportional amount of its healthcare budget into surveillance systems to maximise impact on infectious disease control and prevention. Public Health Surveillance, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Panel Data, Infectious Diseases, Rwanda Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p<em>i)=\beta</em>0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.