OBJECTIVES: Pneumonia is a leading cause of hospital admission among children less than five years in sub-Saharan Africa. This study sought to measure the economic burden of households’ with children less than 5 years admitted at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Ghana on account of pneumonia.

METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional study involving children less than 5 years admitted to the KATH for pneumonia. A consecutive sampling technique was used to select 157 eligible participants. A structured questionnaire and data abstraction form was used to collect primary and secondary data respectively. We applied point (median) and interval estimation (interquartile range) on the various cost components (Pre-admission cost, direct cost and indirect costs). Estimates of the disability adjusted life years (DALY) was done using the prevalence based-approach.

RESULTS: The median preadmission cost was estimated at GH₵ 70 [US$ 18] ranging from GH₵ 5(US$ 1) to GH₵ 600 (US$ 154). Households spends an average of GH₵ 600 (US$ 154) (IQR: GH₵ 387.68 [US$ 99], GH₵ 778 [US$ 199] in treating an episode of childhood pneumonia in a teaching hospital. The median direct non-medical cost was GH₵ 60 (US$ 15). The median indirect cost was GH₵ 165 (US4 42). The median DALY recorded was 1,253.476 years of life lost.

CONCLUSIONS: Pneumonia poses high economic burden on households whose children are affected despite the high subscription to the national health insurance scheme.

Keywords Economic burden, children less than five years, pneumonia, Ghana