WEBINAR: PUBLIC BENEFITS FROM VACCINATION
The team of “Astra Forum” Foundation in partnership with the WHO – Bulgaria held the November webinar of the sequence “Vaccine school” that reviewed the public benefits from vaccines. The event lecturers were Georgi Klisurski – deputy-minister of finance and chief assistant Svetoslav Stoev, doctor of pharmacy – Medical University Pleven, department “Pharmaceutical sciences and social pharmacy”.
The first speaker, deputy-minister Klisurski, presented the budget challenges and strategies aimed at improving prophylactics.
The budget of the health insurance fund for 2024 impressed with its great increase to 8 billion BGN. Mr. Klisurski considered the impact of inflation, income growth and health insurance contributions’ growth to the budget resources. Namely because of this reason he underlined that the Ministry of Finance (MF) takes into account the reasonable and strategic investments, especially in the circumstances of rapid growth.
While presenting the allocation of health resources for 2023 and the draft-budget for 2024, Mr. Klisurski shares that the strategy changes in the benefit of prophylactics. Investments in prophylactic measures significantly increased from 11% in 2023 to 14% for 2024. This 3 per cent point jump is a clear sign that the authorities are actively promoting strategies for disease prevention before they got severe and need hospital treatment. Namely that is why it is important to consider the ratio between investments in prophylactics and hospital aid. The decrease from 49% in 2022 to 15% for 2024 clearly demonstrates the priority of government for change of health policy.
In the light of increasing investments in prophylactics, the patients could expect to get significant improvements considering the manner in which they get health care. The increase of costs for prophylactic measures provides the opportunity for broader access and more effective care.
MORE PROPHYLACTIC EXAMINATIONS
With the increase of funding for prophylactics we would also increase the number of offered prophylactic examinations, as well as the types of prophylactic activities in the prophylactic package.
MOBILE PROPHYLACTIC TEAMS
Acceleration of digitalization in healthcare, including the introduction of e-health files provides the patients with additional benefits. This approach not only optimizes the administrative processes but provides easier and faster access to personal medical information that increases the quality of care and promotes health status monitoring.
DIGITALIZATION AND E-HEALTH FILE
Acceleration of digitalization in healthcare, including the introduction of e-health files provides the patients with additional benefits. This approach not only optimizes the administrative processes but provides easier and faster access to personal medical information that increases the quality of care and promotes health status monitoring.
In the light of growing challenges in the public health area, the deputy-minister declared that vaccine prophylactics would be a key element in the strategy for nation’s health maintenance. His forecast for serious increase of costs for vaccines evidences the ambitious efforts made by the government for provision of high-quality vaccines to citizens.
Special attention is paid to cervical cancer counteraction. The budget for HPV vaccines increases to 2,5 million BGN or with 20%. Vaccination against pneumococcal infections and seasonal flu occupies central place in the strategy. The scheduled increase of 8,5 million BGN compared to the previous year is aimed not only at maintaining the available vaccination levels, but towards expansion of the scope in order to achieve 35% for 2026. With 7% increase in 2024 compared to 2023, vaccination against rotaviruses is also strategical priority.
“EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC BURDEN OF VACCINE PREVENTABLE DISEASES WITH FOCUS ON FLU, ROTAVIRUS AND HPV“ IS THE TOPIC PRESENTED BY CHIEF ASSISTANT SVETOSLAV STOEV.
The next speaker – chief assistant Svetoslav Stoev, in his capacity of representative of the Medical University – Pleven discussed in his presentation researches focused on the evaluation of economic burden of vaccine preventable diseases.
He provided example for the particular economic burden of flu infections. At patient level, the direct costs amount to 24 EUR per disease, the costs for the payer (National Health Insurance Fund) amount to 69.14 EUR, the costs from loss of workability amount to 112,22 EUR per manifested disease and at community level, the total average costs go up to 1150 BGN per disease.
The lecturer presented results from the introduction of vaccine against rotavirus infections in Great Britain and Finland, where we observe significant cost saving for treatment. After vaccine’s introduction in Austria, the costs from loss of workability decreased with 86%. The research of economic consequences from cervical cancer held by the Medical University – Pleven unveils cumulative direct costs of 34 588 131 BGN for the period of 2018-2020. The costs for drug therapy are significant part of this sum – between 46% and 48%.
This approach towards evaluation of economic burden of vaccine preventable diseases provides valuable information about strategies in healthcare, as well as underlines the importance of prophylactics for the maintenance of public health and economic well-being of society.
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