It is essential to know the costs of different prevention strategies to be able to set public policy priorities in the fight against AIDS. Hence this important costing tool, a new edition of 'Costing guidelines for HIV prevention strategies', first issued by UNAIDS in 1998. The guidelines now contain cost analysis worksheets and cover injecting drug users. In many developing countries economists are scarce, but these guidelines make it possible for other professionals such as accountants and planners to analyse costs; such analyses must be combined with a judgement of an intervention’s outcome. The Guidelines begin by introducing and describing different strategies for HIV prevention. Chapter 2 provides an introduction to the basic economic concepts of cost analysis, upon which these Guidelines are based. Chapters 3 and 4 take the reader through a step-by-step guide to planning and undertaking a cost analysis, including how to collect data. Chapter 5 looks at adding up costs and how to generate different results from the analysis. Annex 1 provides the background worksheets for individuals wanting to undertake a cost analysis. Finally the Guidelines end with a section on relevant literature in the area of cost and cost-effectiveness of HIV prevention strategies.
Kumaranayake, L.; Pepperall, J.; Goodman, H.; Mills, A.; Walker, D. Costing Guidelines for HIV/AIDS Prevention Strategies. UNAIDS, Geneva, Switzerland (2000) 136 pp. [UNAIDS/00.31E]