Examining catastrophic costs and benefit incidence of subsidized antiretroviral treatment (art) programme in south-east nigeria
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EXAMINING CATASTROPHIC COSTS AND BENEFIT INCIDENCE OF SUBSIDIZED ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT (ART) PROGRAMME IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA CONTENTS * Abstract * Citation * Links ABSTRACT Objectives: To
examine the extent to which costs of subsidized antiretrovirals treatment (ART) programmes are catastrophic and the benefit incidence that accrues to different population groups. Methods:
Data on expenditures to patients for receiving treatment from a government subsidized ART clinic was collected using a questionnaire. The patient costs excluded time and other indirect
costs. Catastrophic cost was determined as the percentage of total expenditure on ART treatment as a proportion of household non-food expenditures on essential items. Results: On average,
patients spent 990 Naira (US$ 8.3) on antiretroviral (ARV) drugs per month. They also spent an average of $8.2 on other drugs per month. However, people that bought ARV drugs from elsewhere
other than the ART clinic spent an average of $88.8 per month. Patients spent an average of $95.1 on laboratory tests per month. Subsidized ARV drugs depleted 9.8% of total household
expenditure, other drugs (e.g. for opportunistic infections) depleted 9.7%, ARV drugs from elsewhere depleted 105%, investigations depleted 112.9% and total expenditure depleted 243.2%. The
level of catastrophe was generally more with females, rural dwellers and most poor patients. Females and urbanites had more benefit incidence than males and rural dwellers. Conclusion:
Subsidized ART programme lowers the cost of ARV drugs but other major costs are still incurred, which make the overall cost of accessing and consuming ART treatment to be excessive and
catastrophic. The costs of laboratory tests and other drugs should be subsidized and there should also be targeting of ART programme to ensure that more rural dwellers and the most-poor
people have increased benefit incidence. CITATION Health Policy (2009) 90 (2-3) 223-229 [doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2008.10.006] LINKS Examining catastrophic costs and benefit incidence of
subsidized antiretroviral treatment (ART) programme in south-east Nigeria UPDATES TO THIS PAGE Published 1 January 2009 Contents