OBJECTIVES: To analyze the pattern of healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and associated costs of anogenital warts (AGW) treatment in South Africa in both public and private healthcare sectors.

METHODS: This was a questionnaire-based descriptive study seeking to elicit opinions on the HCRU and costs for AGW from 50 subject matter experts (SMEs) from South Africa. Cost per AGW case was estimated using resource utilization estimates, and corresponding unit costs were determined. The public sector costs of procedures were captured from the latest version of the published Uniform Patient Fee Schedule and private sector tariffs were collated from a variety of published medical aid tariffs. Exchange rate of Rand per US Dollar = 18.1006.

RESULTS: The occurrence of AGW was higher in the public sector (21.4%–34.4%) versus the private sector (13.1%–23.2%). According to SMEs, a recurrence of AGW ranged from 37.6% in patients in private settings, to 43.9% in public ones. Public-sector SMEs treated a four-times higher number of AGW patients per month versus private-sector ones (public sector: 24.58 patients/month; private sector: 5.63 patients/month). The weighted total cost per patient per episode for treating AGW in public sector ranged from 14,271 ZAR ($788) in males to 19,220 ZAR ($1,062) in females. In private sector, costs ranged from 17,812 ZAR ($984) to 22,482 ZAR ($1,242). The estimated economic burden of AGW in the public sector ranged from 228.8 bln ZAR ($12.6 bln) to 346.2 bln ZAR ($19.1 bln), in private market - from 27.7 bln ZAR ($1.5 bln) to 47.7 bln ZAR ($2.6 bln).

CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that AGW represent a significant burden in South Africa and associated with substantial costs both from public and private sector perspective. These results may assist the policymakers on the need for HPV immunization programs including four-valent and nine-valent vaccines targeting AGW.