Cost Estimates of Postnatal Care in Public Primary Care Facilities in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

BACKGROUND: Postnatal care (PNC) in Malaysia is believed to have played a role in reducing maternal and child mortality. A pilot study was thereby conducted to estimate the cost of PNC in public primary care facilities in Negeri Sembilan from the perspective of healthcare providers.

METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional design that involved six public primary care facilities in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The PNC-related costs data were collected between May and July 2017, utilising cost data for the year 2016 and involving 287 eligible mothers. The PNC costs were calculated using mixed top-down and activity-based costing (ABC) approaches.

RESULTS: The mean cost of PNC per patient was RM165.65 (median, RM167.12). Personnel cost was the main cost driver for PNC, which accounted for the most significant proportion of the total cost at 94.2%. Education level, type of health facilities and postnatal visits were positively associated with the total PNC cost.

CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the average cost of PNC in the public primary care facilities in Negeri Sembilan. The cost of PNC was revealed to be primarily driven by personnel cost. The findings of this pilot study could add to the evidence base of PNC and serve as a vital reference for improving future estimates to better allocate scarce resources.