Hospitalizations and costs incurred at the facility level after scale-up of malaria control: pre-post comparisons from two hospitals in Zambia.
There is little evidence on the impact of malaria control on the health system, particularly at the facility level. Using retrospective, longitudinal facility-level and patient record data from two hospitals in Zambia, we report a pre-post comparison of hospital admissions and outpatient visits for malaria and estimated costs incurred for malaria admissions before and after malaria control scale-up. The results show a substantial reduction in inpatient admissions and outpatient visits for malaria at both hospitals after the scale-up, and malaria cases accounted for a smaller proportion of total hospital visits over time. Hospital spending on malaria admissions also decreased. In one hospital, malaria accounted for 11% of total hospital spending before large-scale malaria control compared with < 1% after malaria control. The findings demonstrate that facility-level resources are freed up as malaria is controlled, potentially making these resources available for other diseases and conditions.
Alison B
AB
Comfort
Janneke H
JH
van Dijk
Sungano
S
Mharakurwa
Kathryn
K
Stillman
Rose
R
Gabert
Sonali
S
Korde
Nancy
N
Nachbar
Yann
Y
Derriennic
Stephen
S
Musau
Petan
P
Hamazakaza
Khozya D
KD
Zyambo
Nancy M
NM
Zyongwe
Busiku
B
Hamainza
Philip E
PE
Thuma
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008288:Malaria / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology
D000962:Antimalarials