Question NW2031 to the Minister of Health
14 August 2017 - NW2031
Jooste, Ms K to ask the Minister of Health
With reference to his reply to question 534 on 8 May 2017, what was the financial cost associated with treating children who were admitted to hospital due to severe acute malnutrition in each of the specified financial years?
Reply:
The estimated average financial cost per case (based on modelled estimates) of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) with complications is R65,826. The median length of in-patient days for SAM cases with Severe Acute Malnutrition is 30 days (7 days - stabilisation phase and 23 days - rehabilitation phase). The composition of the unit costs includes foodstuffs, medicines and hospital overheads.
Based on this estimated cost, the approximate costs of inpatient care for all children with SAM for the last four financial years are shown in the table below:
|
Financial years |
SAM inpatient admissions |
Approximate Costs |
|
2013-14 |
14,947 |
R491,950,611 |
|
2014-15 |
15,910 |
R523,645,830 |
|
2015-16 |
15,537 |
R511,369,281 |
|
2016-17 |
14,910 |
R490,732,830 |
END.