Monthly direct and indirect costs of management of CKD 3-5 non-dialysis patients in an out-of-pocket expenditure system: The Case of Yaounde

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects similar to 10% of the world population. In most developing nations, the costs for the treatment of CKD are met by patients. Data on the economic burden of early stages of CKD are scarce; few studies have evaluated the cost of management of CKD stages 3 - 5 in non-dialysis (ND) patients in an out-of-pocket expenditure system. This study estimated the direct, indirect, and global economic cost of management of CKD stages 3 - 5 ND patients in Yaounde, Cameroon. It was 1-month retrospective cost analysis. Sampling was consecutive and exhaustive of CKD 3 - 5 ND patients. We evaluated direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs. 69 patients were included in the study, and the mean age was 55 years. The median monthly salary of the population was USD 162. Only 1.4% of patients had 100% health insurance coverage. The total cost of management was similar to USD 163. Direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs accounted for 86.4%, 7.1%, and 6.3%, respectively. That global cost was prohibitive to Cameroonians and was tantamount to 2.7 times the minimal wage in Cameroon.