In Nigeria, researchers looked at the cost of giving children medicine to prevent malaria during certain seasons. They compared the cost of giving just the malaria medicine versus giving both malaria medicine and vitamin A supplements together. They found that combining both treatments only costs an extra 24 cents per child compared to giving malaria medicine alone. Since both treatments help protect children from serious diseases, combining them into one campaign appears to be an affordable way to help more children stay healthy.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether it costs too much money to give children both malaria-prevention medicine and vitamin A supplements at the same time, instead of giving them separately
  • Who participated: Children under 5 years old in Nigeria. One group of about 168,820 children received just malaria medicine in July 2021. Another group of about 170,681 children received both malaria medicine and vitamin A in October 2023.
  • Key finding: Adding vitamin A supplements to malaria prevention campaigns costs only 24 cents more per child ($1.18 total instead of $0.94). The total extra cost for reaching all children was about $27,500.
  • What it means for you: If you live in areas where these programs operate, combining these two health interventions appears affordable and practical. This suggests health programs can protect children from both malaria and vitamin A deficiency without huge extra costs. However, this is a cost study, not a study proving the combined approach works better for children’s health.

The Research Details

Researchers compared the costs of two different health campaigns in Nigeria that happened about 2 years apart. The first campaign in July 2021 gave children medicine to prevent malaria during the rainy season when malaria spreads most. The second campaign in October 2023 gave the same malaria medicine but also added vitamin A supplements. The researchers collected information about all the money spent on both campaigns, including costs for the medicines themselves, training staff, transportation, meetings, and advertising to get families to participate.

They carefully tracked every expense and divided the total cost by the number of children reached to figure out the cost per child. They also tested what would happen if certain costs went up or down by 10% to see which expenses had the biggest impact on the overall price.

Understanding the cost of health programs is important because countries like Nigeria have limited money for healthcare. If combining two beneficial treatments doesn’t cost much more, it makes sense to do them together. This saves time, money, and effort compared to running separate campaigns. This type of cost analysis helps health leaders decide which programs to fund.

This study collected real financial data from actual health campaigns, which is a strength. The researchers used both official records and interviews to gather information. However, the study only looked at two specific campaigns in one region of Nigeria, so the costs might be different in other areas or at different times. The study didn’t measure whether children actually got healthier from the combined approach—it only looked at money spent.

What the Results Show

The malaria-only campaign cost $158,934 total to reach 168,820 children, which equals 94 cents per child. The combined malaria and vitamin A campaign cost $186,426 total to reach 170,681 children, which equals $1.18 per child. This means adding vitamin A supplements increased the cost by 24 cents per child, or about $27,500 in total extra spending.

The biggest costs in both campaigns were paying for the medicines and distributing them to children. These two expenses made up more than half of the total spending. Other costs included training the health workers, buying supplies like cups and registers, holding meetings, paying workers, supervising the program, and advertising to encourage families to bring their children.

When researchers tested what would happen if distribution costs changed by 10%, this had the biggest effect on the cost per child. Changes in medicine prices, labor costs, and supply costs also mattered, but less than distribution costs.

The study found that the two campaigns reached almost the same number of children (about 170,000 in each), showing that adding vitamin A didn’t make it harder to reach families. The cost breakdown showed that distribution—getting the medicines to the right places—was the single largest expense in both campaigns. Labor costs (paying health workers) were the second-largest expense.

This study adds to existing research showing that combining health interventions can be practical and affordable. Previous studies have suggested that integrated campaigns (doing multiple health activities at once) can save money compared to running separate programs. This research supports that idea by showing real numbers from Nigeria. However, more research is needed to compare this approach to other ways of delivering these same health services.

This study only looked at costs, not whether children actually stayed healthier or had fewer cases of malaria and vitamin A deficiency. The study examined only two campaigns in one region of Nigeria, so costs might be different in other parts of the country or in different seasons. The study didn’t look at whether the combined approach might have other benefits (like better health outcomes) or drawbacks that could affect the real value. Prices for medicines and labor can change over time, so these costs might not be the same in future years.

The Bottom Line

Based on this cost analysis, health programs in Nigeria and similar countries appear to have good reason to combine malaria prevention medicine with vitamin A supplements in single campaigns. The modest additional cost of 24 cents per child is likely justified by the potential to prevent two serious health problems at once. However, this recommendation should be confirmed by studies that actually measure whether children’s health improves with the combined approach. (Confidence: Moderate—this is a cost study, not a health outcomes study.)

Health officials and program managers in Nigeria and other African countries should care about this research because it helps them make budget decisions. Parents and caregivers in areas where these programs operate should know that combining these services is affordable and practical. International health organizations funding these programs should consider this information when deciding how to allocate resources. People living in regions with high malaria and malnutrition should care because this research suggests their health programs can be more efficient.

This study doesn’t measure how quickly children see health benefits. However, malaria prevention medicine typically works during the season it’s given (usually 3-4 months), and vitamin A supplements provide protection for several months. Families would likely see the practical benefit of combined campaigns immediately—they only need to visit once instead of twice.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track when your child receives malaria prevention medicine and vitamin A supplements by recording the dates in your health app. Note which campaign they participated in (malaria-only or combined) and set reminders for the next scheduled campaign in your area.
  • Use the app to set a reminder to bring your child to the next seasonal malaria prevention campaign in your community. If your area offers combined campaigns with vitamin A, plan to attend to get both protections at once rather than making separate trips.
  • Log each time your child receives these preventive treatments and track any health changes over the following months, such as fewer fever episodes or improved energy levels. Share this information with your healthcare provider to help them understand how well the prevention is working for your child.

This study analyzes the financial costs of combining two health interventions but does not measure health outcomes or prove that the combined approach is more effective than separate approaches. This research is specific to Nigeria and may not apply to other countries or regions. Before making decisions about your child’s healthcare, consult with your local healthcare provider or health department. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice. Individual costs and availability of these programs may vary by location and time.