Improving early infant diagnosis for HIV-exposed infants using unmanned aerial vehicles versus motorcycles for blood sample in Conakry, Guinea: a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis

Background Early infant diagnosis (EID) for HIV-exposed infants is essential due to high mortality during the first months of their lives. In Conakry (Guinea) timely EID is difficult as traffic congestion prevents the rapid transport of blood samples to the central laboratory. We investigated the cost-effectiveness of transporting EID blood samples by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones. Methods and Findings We conducted a cost-effectiveness comparative analysis between EID blood samples transportation by UAV compared to motorcycle using Monte Carlo simulations. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per life-year gained was computed with local annual GDP per capita (US$1,194) set as the threshold. Simulation models included parameters such as consultation timing (e.g. time of arrival), motorcycle and UAV characteristics, weather and traffic conditions. Sensitivity analyses were conducted. Over a 5-year program and 778 HIV-exposed infants seen in consultation on average every year, the UAV transport strategy was able to save 49.6 life-years [90% PI: -1.3 –100.5]. The UAV strategy costs an additional of $12.4 [10.2 –14.6] per infant tested compared to the motorcycle one. With an ICER of $979 per life-year gained, the UAV transportation strategy was below the cost-effectiveness threshold. The ICER is primarily sensitive to weather-related downtime, UAV loss risk, number of HIV-infected infants and travel time saved by UAV. Conclusion The transportation of EID blood samples by UAVs in Conakry was found to be cost effective in that context. EID blood samples transportation by UAV could be a cost-effective strategy in other countries with traffic congestion and low rate of EID. What is already known on this topic What this study adds How this study might affect research, practice or policy ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement The study received funding from the Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida et les hepatites virales- Maladies Infectieuses Emergentes-ANRS-MIE (grant number: ANRS 12407). ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: The study and its associated surveys received an approval from the National Health Research Ethics Committee of Guinea on the 27 December 2019 (Ref: 119/CNERS/19). I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Analyses were conducted using the software R version 4.0.2. (R Core Team. Vienna, Austria). All the study data and code related to the analysis are publicly available on the GitLab repository: