The Case for the Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Contextual HIV/AIDS Interventions and the Extent to which it is Relevant to South Africa

Abstract

Uncertainty and importance of CE evidence of health care interventions more generally, and of HIV/AIDS interventions in particular have been two main reasons put forward to justify the need for cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) of such interventions. However, CEA focused more on HIV/AIDS interventions, characterized by different set of activities and less on contextual HIV/AIDS interventions (CHIs), characterized by different contexts of implementation. Has the irrelevance of uncertainty and importance argument to CHIs been the reason for limited CEA of such interventions? Using uncertainty and importance of CE evidence arguments which have been used to motivate the conduct of CEA, this paper argues the case for CEA of CHIs and assesses the extent to which this case is relevant to South Africa. The paper finds that the case is strong and that it is relevant to South Africa to a great extent. It recommends more CEA of CHIs for the sake of efficiency-related policy advancement particularly in South Africa.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n3p743