Social-Economic Implications of Persons Placed on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Buea Urban, Cameroon
Essimien Elizabeth Bessem Abanem, Mbuwir Charlotte Bongfen

Abstract
Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drugs are provided free to patients in Cameroon, however there are still a number of associated costs of treatments that have socio economic implications on the lives of the patients on ARVs. This study thus aimed at examining the socio-economic implications of persons placed on ARV therapy. From our findings, there was a reduction in the average number of hours covered at work daily on initiating ART and this relationship was statistically significant (p-value= 0.001). Furthermore, a majority of the participants could not meet up with all the monthly requirements of laboratory tests, supplements and additional foods recommended at hospital and this was due to financial constraints. This is more so because of the general low and ambivalent wage rate in Cameroon. The study recommends that insurance companies should consider including HIV treatments in their schemes and policy makers should do more than the provision of free ARV.

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