One of the key elements of successful tuberculosis (TB) control programs is adherence to treatment, and this is a cornerstone of most international and national policies and guidelines. Non-adherence is often due to patient-related factors, but can also be a result of provider issues, such as stock-outs of TB medicines. Non-adherence results in increases in length and severity of illness, deaths, disease transmission, and drug resistance. These have economic consequences in terms of costs and loss of income for patients and their families and also costs to the health system.
MSH/SIAPS Senior Principal Technical Advisor for Health Care Financing David Collins conducted a study at the request of the National TB Program and USAID, to determine the health, mortality, and economic impact of stock-outs and loss to follow-up to justify greater investment in addressing these challenges in the Philippines.
The study can be accessed here.
Source: SIAPS Program