An article recently published in Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine examines the health and economic impact of non-governmental organization-supported neurosurgery in Bolivia.
Solidarity Bridge supports spinal procedures in Bolivia, and authors of the study sought the impact and cost-effectiveness of procedures performed there. The study included 19 patients who were followed for 12 months. Researchers found improvement in ambulation, pain and emotional disability. Quality-adjusted life years was 0.771 and total costs reached $9,036 at the two-year mark.
The cost-effectiveness ratio showed a value of $11,720/QALY on average.
However, the report also noted that 30 percent of the population lives on less than $2 per day, making even this cost-effective treatment unrealistic.
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