Abstract

Background: In 2012, haematological malignancies were reported to account for approximately 6.5% of all cancers worldwide. The coverage of cancer treatment by the national health insurance fund is insignificant. All persons diagnosed with these diseases will receive therapy from out-of-pocket expenses. The costs of managing these disorders are prohibitive. Due to this burden, patients cannot commence, continue, or complete treatment. This paper aims to analyze the catastrophic expenditure associated with haematological malignancies from the perspective of patients attending the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Nigeria.

Method: The study is a hospital based retrospective study, utilizing data from case notes retrieved from the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion and the Medical Records Department. Descriptive statistics was used to compute proportion and percentages. Results were presented with Tables and charts.

Results: The cost of treatment of lymphoid malignancies ranged from N137,261 to N81,236,154 for multiple myeloma patients. Diagnostic workup and follow-up expenditure went from N295,353 for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) to N607,817 for MM. Patients will require between N150,001 (Myeloproliferative disorders, MPD, patients) and N782,369 (Acute Lymphoid Leukemia, ALL, patients) for supportive care. Most of the financial burden on healthcare is spent on apheresis. The patient’s businesses and their family were the primary funding sources for treatment. To meet treatment costs, some patients sell personal and family assets.

Conclusion: The high cost of managing haematologic malignancies contributes significantly to poor adherence and survival. It impoverishes the patient, families, and, at times, communities. Strategies aimed at reducing the cost of treatment need to be vigorously pursued.

Key words: Haematological malignancies, cancers, out-of-pocket expenses, financial burden, economic burden