Cost-effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine for children under 5 years of age at high altitude in China: A modeling analysis

Background

Pneumococcal disease poses a significant health burden in China, especially in economically underdeveloped areas in western China, such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Globally, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines (PCV) have greatly reduced the burden of pneumococcal disease, but PCV has not yet been included in the National Immunization Program (NIP) in China. Consequently, most of the population remains unvaccinated with PCV. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of introducing 13-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13) into the NIP and to provide a basis for decision-making for the government and health administrative departments of Qinghai Province.