ECONOMIC BURDEN OF MANAGING HEPATITIS C VIRUS DISEASE IN RESOURCE-LIMITED SETTING.

Introduction: Viral hepatitis C (HCV) is a global public health problem, and its management could impose substantial financial burdens on households, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, which has limited health coverage. This study assessed the economic impact of managing HCV patients in households in a resource-limited setting.

Methods: This was a facility-based cross-sectional survey involving a two-stage sampling method to select 90 hepatitis C patients at various stages of the disease. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 26, and the results are presented in tables.

Results: The mean cost of managing hepatitis C for three months was N549,754 ($1,447). Up to 93.5% of hepatitis C patients pay out-of-pocket for health care. Only 3.3% of the patients had health insurance coverage, and the rest were covered by employers. The proportion of households that experienced catastrophic health expenditures because of care for hepatitis C was 70.5%. Before health payments, 3.2% of the households were already in poverty, and 1.1% were in extreme poverty. After healthcare payments, 17.9% more households were tipped into poverty and 18.9% into extreme poverty because of payment for their treatment.

Conclusion: Payment for the management of hepatitis C patients is predominantly out-of-pocket, and a significant proportion of households suffer financial catastrophe because of the cost of managing HCV. Coordinated efforts by stakeholders are required to implement prepayment schemes and direct subsidies to enhance financial protection for patients managed for HCV infection.