Eliminating the Financial Hardship of TB via Universal Health Coverage and Other Social Protection Measures

- On average, TB patients in low-and middle-income countries face medical expenses, costs of seeking/staying in care, and income loss equivalent to more than 50% of his or her annual income.
- The financial burden varies between settings, with total cost in relation to income ranging from 2% to over 300% across countries with different TB care models, general health systems and social protection schemes.
- The financial burden is on average greater for persons ill with MDR-TB and for the poorest.
- Income loss represents on average about 60% of the total costs faced by patients, whereas about 25% is for direct medical costs such as tests, medicines and hospitalization, and the rest is for other care-related costs, such as transport