Does universal health coverage reduce out-of-pocket expenditures for medical consultations for people living with HIV in Senegal? An exploratory cross-sectional study.

Objectives: In Senegal, a national health coverage system named Couverture Medicale Universelle (CMU) has been under development since 2013; its impact on out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses for people living with HIV (PLHIV) remains unknown. Our objective was to assess the impact of the national health coverage system on health expenses for PLHIV by measuring the OOP amount for a routine consultation for various categories of PLHIV, in Dakar and different regions in Senegal, viewed from the patients' perspective.

Design, Setting And Participants: Cross-sectional survey in 2018 and 2019 using a face-to-face questionnaire with PLHIV: 344 adults followed up at Fann Regional Centre for research and training in clinical treatment in Dakar; 60 adult men who have sex with men (MSM) in 2 hospitals in Dakar and 7 facilities in the regions; and 130 children and adolescents (0-19 years) in 16 care facilities in the southern regions.