Economic evaluation of non-communicable diseases related programs applied in emergencies in fragile and conflict-affected areas

The project aims to study the use of health economic evidence in conflict-affected and vulnerable settings, focusing on the management of non-communicable diseases as the largest contributors to mortality and morbidity worldwide.

The primary research question is: How can economic evaluations inform decision-making and resource prioritization for the management of non-communicable diseases in the context of humanitarian aid situations and emergencies? It aims to provide decision-makers in areas affected by emergencies with a comprehensive economic view that enables the prioritization of scarce resources, development of efficient policies and optimal resource allocation. The specific objectives are:

1. Examine the type, modelling approach, use and outcomes of economic evaluations of NCD health strategies applied in humanitarian settings.

2. Identify the analytical challenges and gaps of the NCD strategies applied in emergency settings, including considerations of equity, quality of service provision, and social determinants of health 3. Undertake value-for-money analyses associated with NCD strategies prepared and applied during emergencies

4. Develop a methodological framework for NCD emergency strategies in humanitarian settings that incorporate feasible and appropriate economic evidence

5. Co-develop with and disseminate recommendations to policymakers to support the inclusion of economic evaluation in health strategy development for humanitarian aid situations and emergencies

This study aims to overcome the gap of knowledge around use of health economic evidence on NCD strategies in the context of humanitarian aid situations and emergencies and strengthen practice and policy recommendations. It will provide academic evidence to propel the use of health economics in this understudied setting but will also provide practical guidance to healthcare decision-makers in relevant settings to support more effective use of health economic evidence available to them. This will be achieved through engagement throughout the project with:

1) the academic community about the project and findings through conferences and publications

2) key healthcare decision-makers identified through existing links with the Ministry of Health in Palestine and other fragile affected settings identified through links with the World Health Organization.

A mixed-methods approach will be used to address the research question and study objectives in the context of the humanitarian settings. Achieving good quality data on strategies, budgeting and financing is a challenge, therefore it is hoped that backing up the quantitative data with the actual accounts of relevant policymakers will lead to a more reliable picture of the situation.

In addition, a mixed-method research design will be needed to provide objective evidence about the financial measures that are being used to determine healthcare intervention priorities and policies and how to allocate funding while staying close to the experiences and challenges of policymakers in a complex, war-torn, and poverty-stricken area.