THE ASSESSMENT OF ANNUAL DIRECT HEALTHCARE COSTS AMONG HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS IN NORTHERN CYPRUS

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a chronic condition that requires long-term management and exerts very high disease and cost burden on the governments. This study aimed to assess the direct costs of haemodialysis (HD) treatment, a type of renal replacement therapy, that has an important place in the management of ESRD. The study employed a retrospective approach using a cohort of HD patients and the costs of HD and catheter-related infection treatment were evaluated between the years of 2016 and 2020. HD treatment costs, HD laboratory and imaging costs, and catheter infection costs were determined in dollars ($). Average treatment costs and annual control costs for HD patients were determined as: $10391.14 in 2016; $8664.62 in 2017; $6140.65 in 2018; $4838.29 in 2019; $4081.89 in 2020. A statistical difference was found between the cost of outpatient and inpatient care of catheter-related infections and the year of diagnosis of ESRD in 2016 and 2018 respectively It is important to assess and determine the cost burden and related discrepancies in the cost coverage and resource management in the chronic disease care. This study emphasized the importance of developing targeted and updated policies and legislations for managing the cost of chronic disease care.