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Papua New Guinea Medical Journal
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

The direct medical cost of managing traumatic brain injuries at Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea: a prospective cost of illness study

Walter Paka A , Ian Umo B * , Esther Apuahe A and Benjamin Thomas A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Surgery Department, Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea. Email: wwpaka@gmail.com, esapuahe7@gmail.com, dr.benjamin_thomas@yahoo.com

B Surgery Department, Alotau Provincial Hospital, Papua New Guinea.

* Correspondence to: sawavmvs@gmail.com

Handling Editor: Andrew Collins

Papua New Guinea Medical Journal 66, MJ24007 https://doi.org/10.1071/MJ24007
Submitted: 1 December 2024  Accepted: 8 May 2025  Published: 4 August 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the Medical Society of Papua New Guinea. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Introduction

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major economic and public health problem globally. There is currently no literature on the direct medical cost of TBIs in Papua New Guinea that can guide policymakers on the burden of TBIs. As such, the aim of this study was to calculate the direct medical cost of managing TBI patients at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH).

Methods

A prospective cost of illness study was carried out at the PMGH from 31 August 2023 to 1 January 2024. The study included 77 patients: 52 with mild head injuries, 16 with moderate head injuries, and 9 with severe head injuries. A bottom-up approach was employed to estimate direct medical costs from both the patient and hospital perspectives.

Results

Over the 6-month period, the total direct medical cost amounted to K6,246,779.25 (US$1,561,694.81). On average, the direct medical cost per patient was K81,127.00 (US$20,281.75), with a standard deviation of ±341. Alcohol-related injuries accounted for 76.6% (n = 59) of total admissions. Hospital costs during the study period totalled K6,197,919.25 (US$1,549,479.81), representing 99.2% of the total direct medical costs associated with TBIs. Severe head injuries incurred the highest cost per TBI classification, averaging K95,328.03 (US$23,832.01) per patient, with a standard deviation of ±255.

Conclusion

TBIs are a common cause of admission to PMGH and are associated with significant direct medical costs. Public health interventions and government policies should focus on regulating alcohol production and consumption, as well as improving road traffic safety, to reduce the economic burden of TBIs.

Keywords: direct medical cost, health economics, neuro-surgery, Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby General Hospital, public health, trauma, traumatic brain injury.

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