Does universal health coverage reduce out-of-pocket expenditures for medical consultations for people living with HIV in Senegal? An exploratory cross-sectional study

Objectives In Senegal, a national health coverage system named Couverture Medicale Universelle (CMU) has been under development since 2013; its impact on out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses for people living with HIV (PLHIV) remains unknown. Our objective was to assess the impact of the national health coverage system on health expenses for PLHIV by measuring the OOP amount for a routine consultation for various categories of PLHIV, in Dakar and different regions in Senegal, viewed from the patients' perspective. Design, setting and participants Cross-sectional survey in 2018 and 2019 using a face-to-face questionnaire with PLHIV: 344 adults followed up at Fann Regional Centre for research and training in clinical treatment in Dakar; 60 adult men who have sex with men (MSM) in 2 hospitals in Dakar and 7 facilities in the regions; and 130 children and adolescents (0-19 years) in 16 care facilities in the southern regions. We have calculated the total price of the consultation and associated prescriptions along with the patient's OOP medical and transportation contributions. The average amounts were compared using the Student's t-test. Results All patients are on antiretroviral treatment with a median duration of 6 years, 5 years and 3 years for adults, MSM and children/adolescents, respectively. The percentage of people who have health coverage is 26%, 18% and 44% for adults, MSM and children. In practice, these systems are rarely used. The OOP amount (health expenses+transportation costs) for a routine consultation is euro11 for adults and children, and euro32.5 for MSM. Conclusion The number of PLHIV with coverage is low, and the system's effectiveness remains limited. Currently, this system has proved ineffective in implementing free healthcare, recommended by WHO since 2005.

Automated summary

A national health coverage system named CMU has been developed in Senegal since 2013, but its impact on out-of-pocket expenses for people living with HIV remains unknown. A study was conducted to assess the impact of this system on health expenses for PLHIV, with findings showing that the average OOP amount for routine consultation is 11 euros for adults and children, and 32.5 euros for MSM, indicating limited effectiveness of the system in providing free healthcare for PLHIV as recommended by WHO.