Cost-effectiveness analysis of harm reduction in Bosnia and Herzegovina

During the last ten years, addiction has taken on alarming proportions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The number of addicts is increasing each year. Existing measures and activities, undertaken during this period, have never had a comprehensive evaluation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In particularly, no one dealt with the relation of invested funds and the results that were obtained.

Analysis of cost effectiveness (Cost-Effectiveness Analysis) of harm reduction services, according to many that we have contacted, is already proven. It shows, in many ways, that harm reduction services provide the highest effectiveness-benefit for the clients, who are the users of these services, as well as for the society, which has multiple benefits from it.

The report's main hypothesis is precisely set in accordance to the guiding principle "benefit for the society", because this analysis will in the future be a very powerful tool for the advocacy process at all levels, and for showing the justification of financial and material investment in these services.

The report's goal was to, on the basis of data collected from various sources and by data triangulation, illustrate the relation of services and prices of several segments of harm reduction services, as well as the relation between treatment services and prices for certain diseases that occur as a direct or indirect result of drug use.

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