Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Health System in Ndola District, Zambia: Healthcare Workers’ Perceptions

Kabelenga Elijah; Khoza Kazamula Phenias; Ngula Monde; Naude M Suzan

Authors

Kabelenga Elijah Univeristy of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, Box 142, 0204, Pretoria, South Africa
Khoza Kazamula Phenias Univeristy of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, Box 142, 0204, Pretoria, South Africa.
Ngula Monde Tropical Diseases Research Centre, P.O. Box 71769, Ndola 10101, Zambia
Naude M Suzan Univeristy of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, Box 142, 0204, Pretoria, South Africa.

Keywords:

Economic impact, HIV/AIDS, Health System, Perceptions, Healthcare workers

Abstract

Background: In 2016, the prevalence of HIV among Zambian adults aged 15 to 59 years was 12.3% (14.9% among females, 9.5% among males). Among people living with HIV and know their HIV status, 85.4 percent are currently on Antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, according to our knowledge, no study had been conducted to assess the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on the health system in Ndola district.

Methodology: A descriptive cross section study comprising 66 randomly selected healthcare workers working in ART centres in the government health facilities in Ndola District on the Copperbelt province, Zambia was conducted from August to October, 2013. Data was collected using standard questionnaires. Ethical clearance was sort and obtained from both University of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus Ethics Committee and Tropical Diseases Research Centre. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical software. Univariate statistics was performed.

Results: More than half (66%) of healthcare workers are formally trained in ART services. The majority (97%) of healthcare workers perceived an increased demand for ART services and most (85.3%) of them perceived an increase in the cost of training healthcare workers in HIV/AIDS skills. Most (81.8%) healthcare workers perceived an increase in employment of HIV/AIDS support staff and 96.9 % perceived an increase in the use HIV/AIDS drugs.

Conclusion and recommendation: Our study has shown that increased HIV/AIDS burden in Ndola district has an economic impact on the health system mainly due to increased costs of managing HIV/AIDS patients. We recommend more research focusing on evidence based HIV preventive measures to mitigate the phenomenon’s economic impact on health system.

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Author Biography

Kabelenga Elijah, Univeristy of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, Box 142, 0204, Pretoria, South Africa

Ndola College of Nursing and Midwifery, Private Agency, Ndola 10101, Zambia.

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