Willingness to pay for highly active antiretroviral (HAART) drugs and HIV treatment monitoring tests among People Living with HIV/AIDS
Emmanuel Amaechi Nwobi, Edmund Ndudi Ossai, Elias Chikere Aniwada, Uche Enuma Ezeoke
Abstract
Background
The HIV treatment programme in Nigeria is from international donors and this may come to an end soon.
Aims
To assess the willingness to pay for antiretroviral drugs and HIV treatment monitoring test among people living with HIV/AIDS in Enugu state, Nigeria.
Methods
A descriptive cross sectional study design was used. A two stage sampling technique was used to select 400 people who were receiving antiretroviral treatment in two of eight comprehensive treatment centres in Enugu, Nigeria. Willingness to pay was elicited via the contingent valuation method.
Results
Mean age of respondents was 36.6±10.0 years and male, female ratio of 1:1.2. The median willingness to pay for antiretroviral drugs and HIV treatment monitoring test was 500 Naira (USD 3.1) per month. Majority, 85.3 per cent were willing to pay however only a minor proportion, 1.8 per cent were willing to pay the actual amount for the services Predictors of respondents willingness to pay included being in low socio-economic group, (AOR 0.3, 95 per cent CI:0.2-0.7) and being on salaried employment, (AOR 3.0, 95 per cent CI:1.1-8.9).
Conclusion
Majority of people living with HIV/AIDS were willing to pay for antiretroviral drugs and HIV treatment monitoring tests but only a minor proportion were willing to pay the actual cost of services. This may adversely affect continuity of treatment and enrolment of new patients into the treatment programme. In-order to sustain the gains of the HIV treatment programme and achieve optimal treatment outcomes for patients on treatment in Nigeria there may be the need to subsidize antiretroviral treatment services for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Full Text:
The HIV treatment programme in Nigeria is from international donors and this may come to an end soon.
Aims
To assess the willingness to pay for antiretroviral drugs and HIV treatment monitoring test among people living with HIV/AIDS in Enugu state, Nigeria.
Methods
A descriptive cross sectional study design was used. A two stage sampling technique was used to select 400 people who were receiving antiretroviral treatment in two of eight comprehensive treatment centres in Enugu, Nigeria. Willingness to pay was elicited via the contingent valuation method.
Results
Mean age of respondents was 36.6±10.0 years and male, female ratio of 1:1.2. The median willingness to pay for antiretroviral drugs and HIV treatment monitoring test was 500 Naira (USD 3.1) per month. Majority, 85.3 per cent were willing to pay however only a minor proportion, 1.8 per cent were willing to pay the actual amount for the services Predictors of respondents willingness to pay included being in low socio-economic group, (AOR 0.3, 95 per cent CI:0.2-0.7) and being on salaried employment, (AOR 3.0, 95 per cent CI:1.1-8.9).
Conclusion
Majority of people living with HIV/AIDS were willing to pay for antiretroviral drugs and HIV treatment monitoring tests but only a minor proportion were willing to pay the actual cost of services. This may adversely affect continuity of treatment and enrolment of new patients into the treatment programme. In-order to sustain the gains of the HIV treatment programme and achieve optimal treatment outcomes for patients on treatment in Nigeria there may be the need to subsidize antiretroviral treatment services for people living with HIV/AIDS.
PDF