Addressing Catastrophic Costs for Tuberculosis-Affected Households in Cambodia

In 2023, USAID, through the Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS), funded the first nationally representative study on tuberculosis (TB) patient costs in Cambodia. Methodology of and results from the survey are described in the Cambodia Tuberculosis Patient Cost Survey Report Study aims were to (1) identify cost drivers associated with seeking TB diagnosis and treatment and (2) to assess the prevalence of catastrophic costs among TB-affected households.

The findings will guide policy formulation, particularly within existing social health protection programs, to mitigate financial barriers to TB care, and prevent impoverishment due to overwhelming costs. This brief details critical findings from the full report regarding factors contributing to catastrophic costs for TB-affected households in Cambodia, along with recommendations to alleviate these expenses and proposed next steps.