Direct Cost of Managing Retinoblastoma at a Tertiary Eye Hospital in Nigeria: Paediatric Ophthamology & Strabismus

M Bature; S Bello; AA AbdulRahman; A Hassan

Authors

M Bature National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria.
S Bello National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria.
AA AbdulRahman National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria.
A Hassan National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria.

Abstract

Introduction: Retinoblastoma is a malignant ocular tumor affecting 1 in 15,000 - 20,000 live births.1 2 Survival rate is as low as 6.8% in less developed countries such as Zaire.3 Challenges with management–financial constraint, late presentation, refusal of enucleation, default to follow up1 . Management of retinoblastoma requires interventions that are costly and restricted to few specialized centres in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to assess the direct cost of health care in managing retinoblastoma at National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study involving 44 patients with retinoblastoma who were managed at National Eye Centre Kaduna between January and June 2017. Patients who are on treatment for retinoblastoma with at least a single course of cytotoxic therapy with or without enucleation were included. The direct health costs (hospital accommodation, investigations, examination under anaesthesia (EUA), chemotherapy, blood transfusion and surgery) and the direct non-health costs (transportation and feeding) were calculated.

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