Cost of Managing COVID 19 Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Sri Lanka

Introduction: COVID-19 is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 and it spread throughout the world and turned into a severe global pandemic in 2020. The severity of the COVID-19 is wide, ranging from asymptomatic to severe illness that requires mechanical ventilation. Although the curative sector response of Sri Lanka was somewhat different from other countries, it was remarkably effective in preventing community spread.

 

Objective: To assess the average cost of treating Covid 19 patients at Covid Treatment Centre (CTC) in District General Hospital (DGH) Hambantota.

 

Methodology: This retrospective costing study was conducted in CTC at DGH, Hambantota in December 2020. The step-down costing method was used in this study. Key informant interviews with the accountant, deputy director, and staff of CTC, reviewing expenditure records of the accountant’s office, visiting and taking measurements of the floor area, reviewing relevant literature were used to gather data in this costing study.

 

Results: The average cost of treating a Covid 19 patient per day at CTC, DGH Hambantota was Rs 2317.60. The total cost of treating a Covid 19 Patient at DGH Hambantota for 10 days was Rs 23176.00. The cost of treating Covid patients at CTC, DGHH was exceptionally low when compared to other countries.

 

Discussion and conclusion: Treating Covid 19 patients is an economic burden to any health system. Treatment cost was extremely low at DGH, Hambantota and only about 23000 rupees was spent for one patient for 10 days. Drug cost was comparatively low and transport cost was relatively high.