Question

What are social, indirect, and economic costs of bacterial meningitis on a global scale? ?

Answer 1

Ans) Despite vaccination of meningities, the average cost is about 100 dollars. It cost some 10 millions US dollars with 86% reactive vaccination camps by the health departments. Meningities epidemic disrupt all health service from national to operational level with the main contributor being the medical consultation. More than 1 millions cases are registered annually with an average fatality rates are between 10% to 40% depending the clinical presentation and geography of the location. Major financial burden are associated with acute treatment, follow up care  and outbreak management often places extensive financial strains on public health resources. Other burden are lifelong cognitive deficits, psychological stress, adaptive measures for reintegration into society, familial impact, and legal costs are systematically overlooked. Although the clinical and financial effect of this disease is straight forward but other effect should be taken into consideration by the health departments.