Cost Assessment of Cryogenic Preservation of Biocollections during the COVID Pandemic at CeReB 2020-2021

Aims: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a new human disease caused by the Coronavirus SARS-COV-2. It was classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. The Institute Pasteur of Côte d'Ivoire (IPCI), through its specialized units and its Center National of Reference (CNR) for respiratory viruses, has been entrusted with the mission of coordinating the diagnostic and conservation efforts of COVID-19 for the country.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the costs of cryogenic conservation of biocollections during the COVID pandemic at the Côte d'Ivoire Biological Resource Center (CeReB) from 2020-2021.

Methodology: Cost and sample data were collected using a questionnaire administered to the IPCI administration, the Supply Management Unit (UGA) and CeReB staff that ensured data quality.

Results: For our study period, of the 1,225,710 SARS COV 2 samples collected by National Surveillance 92.7% (1,137,210/1,225,710) were received in IPCI laboratories for diagnosis.

Variable costs are higher than fixed costs in both cryovial and chaff collection production. The total production cost of the straw collection is 3.5 times the total production cost of the cryovial collection

Conclusion: This study establishes a generic analysis of the capital and operating costs required to integrate nasopharyngeal specimen cryopreservation and can serve as a model for the implementation of cryopreservation programs.