Costs analysis of a population level rabies control programme in Tamil Nadu, India

The study aimed to determine costs to the state government of implementing different interventions for controlling rabies among the entire human and animal populations of Tamil Nadu. This built upon an earlier assessment of Tamil Nadu’s efforts to control rabies. Anti-rabies vaccines were made available at all health facilities. Costs were estimated for five different combinations of animal and human interventions using an activity-based costing approach from the provider perspective. Disease and population data were sourced from the state surveillance data, human census and livestock census. Program costs were extrapolated from official documents. All capital costs were depreciated to estimate annualized costs. All costs were inflated to 2012 Rupees. Sensitivity analysis was conducted across all major cost centres to assess their relative impact on program costs. It was found that the annual costs of providing Anti-rabies vaccine alone and in combination with Immunoglobulins was \$0.7 million (Rs 36 million) and \$2.2 million (Rs 119 million), respectively. For animal sector interventions, the annualised costs of rolling out surgical sterilisation-immunization, injectable immunization and oral immunizations were estimated to be \$ 44 million (Rs 2,350 million), \$23 million (Rs 1,230 million) and \$ 11 million (Rs 590 million), respectively. Dog bite incidence, health systems coverage and cost of rabies biologicals were found to be important drivers of costs for human interventions. For the animal sector interventions, the size of dog catching team, dog population and vaccine costs were found to be driving the costs. Rabies control in Tamil Nadu seems a costly proposition the way it is currently structured. Policy makers in Tamil Nadu and other similar settings should consider the long-term financial sustainability before embarking upon a state or nation-wide rabies control programme

Moving from rabies research to rabies control: lessons from India

BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of effective interventions and public recognition of the severity of the problem, rabies continues to suffer neglect by programme planners in India and other low and middle income countries. We investigate whether this state of 'policy impasse' is due to, at least in part, the research community not catering to the information needs of the policy makers. METHODS & FINDINGS: Our objective was to review the research output on rabies from India and examine its alignment with national policy priorities. A systematic literature review of all rabies research articles published from India between 2001 and 2011 was conducted. The distribution of conducted research was compared to the findings of an earlier research prioritization exercise. It was found that a total of 93 research articles were published from India since 2001, out of which 61% consisted of laboratory based studies focussing on rabies virus. Animals were the least studied group, comprising only 8% of the research output. One third of the articles were published in three journals focussing on vaccines and infectious disease epidemiology and the top 4 institutions (2 each from the animal and human health sectors) collectively produced 49% of the national research output. Biomedical research related to development of new interventions dominated the total output as opposed to the identified priority domains of socio-politic-economic research, basic epidemiological research and research to improve existing interventions. CONCLUSION: The paper highlights the gaps between rabies research and policy needs, and makes the case for developing a strategic research agenda that focusses on rabies control as an expected outcome

Partnerships For progress, Higher Education Institutions and External Engagement Conference proceedings 2010.

This publication is derived from the presentations and discussions at the Partnerships for Progress Conference on Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and External Engagement organised by the Roadmap for Employment-Academic Partnership (REAP) project in Farmleigh House, 23 September 2010. The Conference aimed to explore the potential scope for external engagement activity and the motivation for partnership as well as how that activity can be supported and managed and how success can be measured and rewarded. The REAP project is funded through the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Strategic Innovation Fund Cycle 2. The Project is led by Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and includes Athlone Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology, Sligo, Institute of Technology Tallaght, National University of Ireland Galway, University College Cork and Waterford Institute of Technology as partners. The project aims to develop a model and roadmap for partnership and engagement between HEIs and employers and enterprises. This partnership approach is seen as especially relevant in the context of a dynamically changing economic and demographic environment. The partnership concept is extended to include and value all forms of interaction including learning, research and development and to recognise that the various engagement activities can be interrelated and built upon. By exploring existing examples of good practice throughout the project consortium and identifying enablers and barriers, a toolkit will be developed to facilitate engagement across the spectrum of potential partnership activities. The impact will be twofold – both HEIs and enterprises will be encouraged to seek out opportunities to engage and to identify any barriers to engagement within their systems and processes. Through the REAP project it is intended that enterprises will view HEIs as key service providers and strategic partners. Some of the literature on partnership reports barriers in terms of perceived inaccessibility and inflexibility of the HEI in dealing with enterprise needs. However, the experience of successful partnerships, reviewed through the project, has provided ample evidence that these barriers can be overcome. The preliminary work of the REAP project consortium has led to a consideration of how HEIs organise themselves to support and develop their external relationships. This well-attended Conference and the provoking and varied contributions added significantly to the discourse and will inform the work of the project team as we continue towards our goals. On behalf of the project team I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Minister Seán Haughey TD, our keynote speakers, our panellists, session chairs and all of the attendees for their frank and valuable contributions. An event such as this is always the result of a team effort and a particular word of thanks must go to our partners in DIT who were responsible for much of the organisation of the day. We look forward with renewed enthusiasm to continuing the project work

Partnerships For progress, Higher Education Institutions and External Engagement Conference proceedings 2010

This publication is derived from the presentations and discussions at the Partnerships for Progress Conference on Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and External Engagement organised by the Roadmap for Employment-Academic Partnership (REAP) project in Farmleigh House, 23 September 2010. The Conference aimed to explore the potential scope for external engagement activity and the motivation for partnership as well as how that activity can be supported and managed and how success can be measured and rewarded. The REAP project is funded through the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Strategic Innovation Fund Cycle 2. The Project is led by Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and includes Athlone Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology, Sligo, Institute of Technology Tallaght, National University of Ireland Galway, University College Cork and Waterford Institute of Technology as partners. The project aims to develop a model and roadmap for partnership and engagement between HEIs and employers and enterprises. This partnership approach is seen as especially relevant in the context of a dynamically changing economic and demographic environment. The partnership concept is extended to include and value all forms of interaction including learning, research and development and to recognise that the various engagement activities can be interrelated and built upon. By exploring existing examples of good practice throughout the project consortium and identifying enablers and barriers, a toolkit will be developed to facilitate engagement across the spectrum of potential partnership activities. The impact will be twofold – both HEIs and enterprises will be encouraged to seek out opportunities to engage and to identify any barriers to engagement within their systems and processes. Through the REAP project it is intended that enterprises will view HEIs as key service providers and strategic partners. Some of the literature on partnership reports barriers in terms of perceived inaccessibility and inflexibility of the HEI in dealing with enterprise needs. However, the experience of successful partnerships, reviewed through the project, has provided ample evidence that these barriers can be overcome. The preliminary work of the REAP project consortium has led to a consideration of how HEIs organise themselves to support and develop their external relationships. This well-attended Conference and the provoking and varied contributions added significantly to the discourse and will inform the work of the project team as we continue towards our goals. On behalf of the project team I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Minister Seán Haughey TD, our keynote speakers, our panellists, session chairs and all of the attendees for their frank and valuable contributions. An event such as this is always the result of a team effort and a particular word of thanks must go to our partners in DIT who were responsible for much of the organisation of the day. We look forward with renewed enthusiasm to continuing the project work