Direct Costs for the Management of Road Traffic Accident Casualties in Six Hospitals. Case of Mbandaka City in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Introduction: Road traffic accidents are a real public health issue worldwide. Every second, a case is reported. The cost incurred by this phenomenon is just the tip of the iceberg. Many victims are unable to cope with the direct costs due to a lack of social protection systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of our study is to evaluate the direct costs of care for victims of road accidents in Mbandaka. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on road traffic accident victims in Mbandaka from 01/01/2023 to 30/06/2024. Our sample consists of 302 victims. A form and an unstructured interview served as our data collection tools, and the data was collected on Excel and then analyzed using SPSS 23. Results: The prevalence of road traffic accidents is 0.71% with a lethality of 12.3%. The average age was 29.2 years (±16.9). The male sex was predominantly represented. In 95.4% of cases, patients were not referred, and only 1% of patients used a medical transport to reach the hospital. Fractures (75.5%) were the most common injuries with a high proportion, and the lower limbs were more affected (76.3%). In 91.4%, patients resorted to direct payment, and the length of stay would be ≥12 days in 96.4% of cases, and this duration is influenced by the type of facility (private facility) as well as the payment method for care (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The financial barrier is a major obstacle to accessing healthcare; it is important to establish universal health coverage to ensure not only the continuity of care but also access that will protect users from catastrophic health expenses.