Abstract

Integrating economic and health evidence to inform Covid-19 policy in low- and middle- income countries

Vassall, A. Sweeney, S. Barasa, E. Prinja, S. Keogh-Brown, M. R. Tarp Jensen, H. Smith, R. Baltussen, R. M. Eggo R Jit, M.
Wellcome Open Res. 2020; 5272

Permanent descriptor

https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16380.2

Covid-19 requires policy makers to consider evidence on both population health and economic welfare. Over the last two decades, the field of health economics has developed a range of analytical approaches and contributed to the institutionalisation of processes to employ economic evidence in health policy. We present a discussion outlining how these approaches and processes need to be applied more widely to inform Covid-19 policy; highlighting where they may need to be adapted conceptually and methodologically, and providing examples of work to date. We focus on the evidential and policy needs of low- and middle-income countries; where there is an urgent need for evidence to navigate the policy trade-offs between health and economic well-being posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.