Abstract:

Maternal mortality is a function of economic underdevelopment. Obstetric complications are the major cause of maternal mortality. Early detection, rapid transportation and prompt care utilizing Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) can help end preventable maternal mortality. However, poor referral transportation limits utilization of lifesaving EmONC in least developed countries. Korea International Cooperation Agency supported Ghana to implement a 5-year Primary Health Care project in Upper East region in 2016. This project had a Community Emergency Transport System (CETS) component. CETS was implemented using customized ‘motorking’ tricycle ambulances to strengthen maternal referral transportation. We conducted cost-effectiveness analysis to determine CETS’ value-for-money (VfM). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and incremental net-benefit (INB) were estimated. The study perspective was societal. The comparator was traditional transportation system (TTS). The cost-effectiveness threshold was Ghana’s GDP for 2020 (USD2,254.15/GH₵11,045.34). The study respondents were women with pregnancy experience in 2020 within the project area who utilize a referral transport. Respondents were randomly selected from CETS and TTS areas. Primary and secondary data were collected at households and health facilities respectively. Data was analyzed with STATA 15.0. The ICER computed was GH₵559.69 (USD114.22). CETS was deemed cost-effective because ICER was below the cost-effectiveness threshold. The net-benefit was GH₵31,456.96 (USD6,419.79). The INB was less than zero (-2002.61) implying CETS was not cost-effective. There was a conflict between ICER and INB on VfM of CETS. Affordability should be considered in Policy adoption.

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