Can’t afford to be sick: Assessing the cost of ill-health in North Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Simon Levine
, Agata Kusnierek
This study finds not only that the burden of ill health in North Kivu is much higher than previously thought, but also that the impact of free health care is less than might be expected
Illnesses are an individual and household level shock that can cause a substantial financial burden. A new study, "Can’t afford to be sick: Assessing the cost of ill-health in North Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo," finds not only that the burden of ill health in North Kivu is much higher than previously thought, but also that although free health care is beneficial, its impact is less than might be expected, because lost productivity from illness or caring for an ill relative makes up the bulk of the financial burden on households. Though the period of study was 2015-2017, since August 2018 the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu (and in Ituri province) has killed over 2,000 people and infected over 3,000 people and placed tremendous stress on health services.
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