MDR-TB Treatment & Prevention
More information on current fee policy for TB and HIV/AIDS patients
The following is a description of fee policy for Tb and HIV-AIDS patients in Lesotho, gathered from Carrie Cafaro (management specialist, LeBoHA) with assistance from staff of Motebang Hospital.
Pricing of TB and HIV/AIDS care in Lesotho
HIV/AIDS patients are required to pay for their first consultation with the hospital Outpatient Department. This costs 15 Maloti (M). Subsequent visits to the Outpatient Department are free. HIV positive outpatients are entitled to receive medications and lab tests for free. They must pay for any x-rays (15 M each exam).
If an HIV positive patient is admitted to the hospital, the patient is charged according to the regular fee schedule (i.e. a fee for admission, plus daily fee). HIV positive inpatients would normally also be charged 4.5 M per day for all medicines needed to treat them; however, since ARVs are free, it may be that HIV positive inpatients who do not use other drugs besides ARVs will not have to pay the medication fee. This is unclear.
Tuberculosis patients are also required to pay for their first consultation with the hospital Outpatient Department (15 M). Subsequent visits to Outpatient Department are free, as are drugs and lab tests related to Tb treatment. Tb outpatients must pay for the last chest x-ray (15M).
If admitted to the inpatient ward, a Tb inpatient must pay a flat rate of 30M which covers the admission fee and consultation. There is no charge for Tb drugs while in the hospital.
