DIRECT COST OF TREATMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2 IN PAKISTAN

Objective: Diabetes is a serious illness. It is a key and growing threat to the health of the global world. The prime concern of this research was to estimate the cost-of-illness of type 2 diabetes in Karachi, a major metropolitan city of Pakistan. This study was performed on the basis a community perspective to calculate the economic burden of diabetes mellitus type 2 in Pakistan. Methods: This study was conducted in all districts of Karachi, the patients were taken from all economic segment of society from low income group, average revenue and high revenue group. A preliminary test questionnaire was used to collect the data directly from patients and in some locations conducted interviews with patients due to lack of understanding and un-educated patients. The total of 885diabetes patients was selected with convenient random sampling. Results: The average direct cost of all these expense bear by diabetic patient in Pakistan is Pak Rupees Rs.5542 per month. The cost range starts from Rs. 650/month to 20000 per month on the basis of patient economic condition and disease state. The average appointment fee of a physician, laboratory test and medicines came to Rs. 700/visit, 400/test, and 1100/visit precisely. The average travel and food spent was Rs.200/visit and 1000/month. Medicine accounted for largest cost followed by consultation with the physician. Conclusion: This is clearly indicated by this study that considerable cost is amounted by diabetes, it is suggested that a huge amount of resources could be prevented by taking care, initial understanding of the disease and a decrease in diabetes co-morbidities and complications through better diabetes mellitus treatment. Very extensive and cost-effective programs should be started to maximize health benefits and to diminish the prevalence of this epidemic.