Should we ask patients to contribute to the cost of their care?
BMC Public Health - "Across sub-Saharan Africa, up to 20 % of total spending on health is used for HIV services, and of this over 85 % is estimated to come from international funding rather than in-country sources."
In Uganda, in order to meet the growing need of increased patient numbers and further ART coverage the projected costs of comprehensive HIV care and treatment services will increase substantially. (...)
The authors are concerned that current funding mechanism for HIV programs in Uganda may be difficult to sustain and as service providers they are keen to explore ways in which provide lifelong HIV care to as many people living with HIV (PLHIV) as possible. They suggest that offering patients with the sufficient means to assume some of the financial burden for their care in return for more convenient services could be one component of increasing coverage and sustaining services for those living with HIV."