MOTHERS’ WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS VACCINES IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA: A CROSS SECTIONAL CONTINGENT VALUATION STUDY
SOURCE:
Faculty: Pharmaceutical Sciences
Department: Clinical Pharm & Pharm Mgt
CONTRIBUTORS:
Umeh, I.B;
Ekwunife, O.I;
ABSTRACT:
Background Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination in Nigeria will require substantial financing to ensure availability due to high cost of the vaccine and lack of structure to support adolescent vaccination. Alternative sources are needed to sustain government funded HPV vaccination programme. This study was aimed to assess the Nigerian mothers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for HPV vaccine to generate information for improving availability in the country.
Methods A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted in which 50 questionnaires were distributed to each of 10 secondary schools located in two rural and one urban city in Anambra State. The questionnaires were then randomly distributed to girls aged 9-13 years of age to give to their mothers. Correlates of willingness to pay for HPV vaccination were obtained using multivariate logistic regression. Estimated CVG was obtained by adapting cost of HPV vaccine delivery in Tanzania to the Nigerian setting.
Results A total of 438 questionnaires (88 %) were returned completed. The average WTP was US$ 11.68. This is opposed to estimated delivery cost of US$ 18.16 and US$ 19.26 for urban and rural populations respectively at vaccine price offered by the Global alliance for vaccine initiative (GAVI) and US$ 35.16 and US$ 36.26 for urban and rural populations respectively at the lowest obtainable public sector vaccine price. Demand for HPV vaccine was deemed high (91.6 %) and was significantly associated with respondents previously diagnosed withHuman Papilloma virus infection.
Conclusion The findings showed that Nigerian mothers were willing to pay an average of N2300 for HPV vaccination of their daughter although short of estimated cost of vaccinating a girl child in Nigeria. High demand for vaccine (91.6%) should be emphasized in order to increase vaccine uptake. Education on cervical cancer and provider-initiated vaccination should be promoted to increase vaccine uptake. Co-payment could be a feasible financing strategy in the event of national HPV vaccination.