Cost analysis of care for children admitted to kenyatta national hospital with rotavirus gastroenteritis

Rotavirus infection is the single most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in children under five years of age. The costs of care and treatment for rotavirus gastroenteritis are high. The objective was to compute average cost of care for children admitted with rotavirus gastroenteritis. A survey was conducted in children admitted with a diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis in Nairobi, Kenya. These were recruited and followed up till discharge or death. The costs they incurred were collected and the average costs were calculated. We concluded that rotavirus gastroenteritis leads to considerable resource utilization in health care settings and the society. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.