Sources of health care financing among patients at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Health care financing is the mobilization of funds for health care services. This study determined the various sources of health care financing among the patients on admission at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika-Zaria in 2011 and the effects of the medical bills on the patients and their family members. Methodology: A multi-staged sampling technique was used to select 100 clients for the study. The clients were stratified into the four major wards of the ABUTH; the medical, surgical, obstetrical and gynecological and the pediatric wards. A total of 25 clients were equally allocated to each ward and these were then selected by balloting. Information was sought on their socio-demographic characteristics, sources of the health care financing and the adverse effects of the medical bills on the patients and their family members. Results: Majority of the clients were married, Hausa Muslim housewives who earned Conclusions: The main source of health care financing in this tertiary center was through out of pocket expenditure by patients and their relatives. Recommendation: There is a need for the urgent implementation of the community health insurance scheme in Nigeria for the benefit of the less privileged.