[Availability and affordability of diagnosis and treatment for asthma and COPD in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso]

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic respiratory diseases, particularly asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), pose a significant threat to public health. This study aims to determine the accessibility and affordability of means of diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study covering the period from August to December 2021 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. This study involved 107 health centers and 135 pharmacies. The World Health Organization/Health Action International definition was used as a benchmark for accessibility to medicines.

Results: Out of 107 health centers, 29 (27.1%) had a spirometer. The average cost of spirometry represented 19.88 days of salary for a patient paid at the minimum wage. The most widely available drugs were salbutamol in a pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) (88.1%) and prednisone 20mg tablet (87.4%). No disease-modifying drug was available in public pharmacies. Affordable drugs were salbutamol 4mg tablet and aminophylline 100mg tablet.

Conclusion: The means of diagnosis and treatment of asthma and COPD are insufficiently available, especially in the public sector, which is characterized by a nearly total absence of basic treatment.

Keywords: Accessibilité financière; Asthma; Asthme; Availability; BPCO; Burkina Faso; COPD; Disponibilité; Financial accessibility; Ouagadougou.