Measuring the Economic Costs of Diarrheal Diseases in Nigeria: A 2021 GBD Study

Abstract

Background: This study aims to quantify the economic burden of diarrheal diseases in Nigeria considering the year 2021.

Methods: The study considered the value of life-year (VLYs) approach using the World Health Organization (WHO) and Lancet commissions’ recommendations, which assigns a monetary value to each life-year for sub-Saharan Africa. The economic burden was calculated by multiplying the GDP per capita and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by 4.2. The cost of illness (COI) analysis considered direct healthcare costs, non-healthcare costs, and indirect costs from morbidity and mortality. The COI values are calculated by adding the total direct medical costs (DMCs), direct non-medical costs (DNMCs), and indirect costs (morbidity and mortality). The study utilized data from the IHME Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 website, the World Bank Database, and the ILO data explorer.

Results: Using the approach of the WHO, the value of life lost due to diarrheal illnesses in Nigeria in 2021 was 8.3 trillion Naira (56.7 billion US$) at one-times the GDP per capita and 24.9 trillion Naira (170 billion US$). The COI analysis revealed an economic burden of 109 billion Naira (744 million US$), with productivity loss from mortality contributing the most to the economic burden at 74%, followed by productivity losses from morbidity at 19%, with 7% attributed to direct medical and non-medical costs.

Conclusions: This study reveals a need to implement and strengthen existing actions to ensure a drastic reduction in the economic burden of diarrheal diseases. By implementing targeted interventions, preventing and controlling diarrheal disease and improving the well-being of communities in Nigeria is feasible.