Original researchBurn care delivery in a sub-Saharan African unit: A cost analysis study

- This study demonstrated affordable comprehensive burn care in a low or middle-income country.
- In our unit, the mean cost per in-patient admission was $559.85 (SD ± $736.17).
- The mean daily cost per 1% total burn surface per patient at our center was $2.65 (SD ± $3.01).
- Accurate patient level hospital cost information on burn care delivery is invaluable.

IntroductionThere are significant resource challenges to burn surgical care delivery in low and middle-income countries at baseline and only a few burn cost analysis studies from sub-Saharan Africa have been performed.MethodsThis is a retrospective database analysis of prospectively collected data from all patients recorded in the burn registry between June 2011 and August 2014 located at the Kamuzu Central Hospital Burn Unit in Lilongwe, Malawi. We utilized activity-based costing, a bottom-up cost analysis methodology with cost allocation that allows determination of unit cost or cost per service.Results905 patients were admitted to the burn unit during the study period. The calculated total monthly burn expenditure for all cost centers was $11,622.66. Per day, the total unit cost was $387.42 with a mean daily per-patient cost of $24.26 (SD ± $6.44). Consequently, the mean cost per in-patient admission was $559.85 (SD ± $736.17). The mean daily cost per 1% total burn surface per patient at our center is $2.65 (SD ± $3.01).DiscussionThis burn care cost analysis study helps quantify the relative contribution of differing cost centers that comprise burn care delivery and hospital costs in a sub-Saharan African setting. Accurate and relevant cost information on hospital services at the patient level is therefore fundamental for policy makers, payers, and hospitals.ConclusionOur study has demonstrated that comprehensive burn care is possible at a cost much lower than found in other burn centers in low or middle-income countries and can be sustained with moderate funding.