Cost-effectiveness of the safe childbirth checklist program to improve birth outcomes in India

Abstract

The WHO endorsed safe childbirth checklist (SCC) intervention was implemented in Rajasthan state of India to support delivery of essential maternal and newborn care practices. As part of the evaluation study we assessed the cost-effectiveness of the SCC program in reducing facility-based stillbirths (SBs) and very early neonatal deaths (vENDs, deaths within three-days after birth) and assessed the cost per life-years saved (LYS). For a cohort of 100,000 births, the incremental provider cost of the SCC intervention was US $ 1.03 million and the intervention would avert 274 deaths and will save 16,456 life years (assuming a life expectancy of 60 years). This translates to a unit cost of USD 3,783 per death averted or US $63 per LYS. This is a highly cost-effective intervention in averting facility-based stillbirths and very early neonatal deaths.