# The cost of human papillomavirus vaccination delivery at the administrative and health facility levels in the Philippines

## TL;DR

This study estimates the cost of delivering HPV vaccination in the Philippines, highlighting key cost drivers and offering insights for policymakers.

## Contribution

The study provides a detailed micro-costing analysis of HPV vaccine delivery in the Philippines, including financial and economic costs at multiple health system levels.

## Key findings

- The weighted mean financial cost per dose was $3.72, while the economic cost was $29.74.
- Service delivery and vaccine logistics were the main cost contributors at health facilities and administrative levels.
- Opportunity costs for worker time accounted for 77% of the economic cost per dose.

## Abstract

The World Health Organization has recommended the inclusion of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in national immunization programs to address the global problem of cervical cancer. In the Philippines, HPV vaccination was introduced in a phased approach in 2015. This study seeks to estimate the cost of delivery of the HPV vaccination program and its operational context in the Philippines.

This was a retrospective, cross-sectional micro-costing study focused on ongoing HPV vaccination delivery and its operational context across all levels of the health system. Using structured questionnaires and data collection from secondary sources, the weighted mean financial and economic costs and costs per dose at the national, subnational, and health facility levels were estimated.

The weighted mean financial and economic costs per dose of the HPV vaccination program aggregated across all levels of the health system were $US3.72and $29.74, respectively. Activities contributing most significantly to costs were service delivery and vaccine collection or distribution and storage at the health facility and administrative levels, respectively. The opportunity costs for health worker and non-health worker time accounted for 77% of the economic cost per dose.

The total weighted mean financial and economic costs of HPV delivery are within range of those reported in other countries. Costing studies can help identify cost drivers with local operational context to help inform policymakers and program managers in budgeting and planning interventions to improve program implementation.