Aim: To estimate the hospitalisation costs borne by the New Zealand Government for the influenza pandemic in 2009 (with uncertainty).
Methods: Data were derived from national and local New Zealand studies, and from a combined Australia and New Zealand study on intensive care unit (ICU) use and costs. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed (2000 iterations).
Results: We estimated the total mean cost to the hospital sector in New Zealand of NZ$30.5 million (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 22.3 to 39.5 million) [US$14.8 to 26.3 million]. The mean cost per capita was NZ$7.01. In an additional cost-effectiveness analysis (using a hypothetical counterfactual relating to no hospital care), the results were suggestive that hospital care was likely to be a relatively cost-effective means of preventing death from pandemic influenza.
Conclusions: These high hospitalisation costs for a relatively non-severe pandemic indicate the potential value of preventive measures (e.g., vaccination) and of investing in pandemic planning and other control measures to reduce person-to-person spread.