Examining the cost of community-based tuberculosis treatment in South Africa

SETTING: While South Africa has improved access to tuberculosis (TB) treatment and care, the 2015 treatment success rate for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains low, at 55%. Community-based TB treatment and care improves patient retention compared to the standard of care alone. OBJECTIVE: To assess the cost of a USAID-funded community-based TB model in Nelson Mandela Bay Health District (NMBHD), Eastern Cape Province, South Africa compared to the national standard of care alone. DESIGN: We estimated the cost of community-based DR-TB treatment and adherence support compared to the standard of care alone. RESULTS: Average overall costs were US$2827 lower per patient on the community-based model than the standard of care alone. CONCLUSION: The per-patient cost of the community-based model is lower than the standard of care alone. Assuming the costs and effects of a community-based model implemented in NMBHD were observed at a larger scale, implementing the model could reduce overall health system costs.