Funds for treatment of hospitalized patients: Evidence from Bangladesh

This study was designed to explore sources of funds for health expenditure of patients if they are hospitalized. we have included 379 patients of 3 private and 7 public hospitals to estimate total expenditure. of them,229 (60.4%) were from public and 150 (39.6%) from private hospitals. mean expenditure was tk 60,613.3 and 8,262.7,and duration of hospital stay was 10.7 and 11.8 days in private and public hospitals respectively. more than half (55%) of the patients from middle class were treated in private hospitals. of them,278 (74.0%) were funded by themselves,48 (12.8%) by loan with interest rate of 100% to 180%,23 (6.1%) by loan without interest,17 (4.5%) by losing their fixed asset,and 4 (1.1%) by begging in the street. most of the patients did bear expenditure by themselves,followed by loan with high interest rate. 'distress' selling of property was also a source. middle-class patients could be comfortable with expenditure if they were in public hospitals. © international centre for diarrhoeal,disease research,bangladesh.