The cost of medical consultations is forcing some households to postpone their doctor’s appointments. The high turnout recorded during the International Health Fair, which concluded this Friday at the Kianja Barea Mahamasina, illustrates the scale of demand when care is provided free of charge.
For four days, many people traveled to benefit from free consultations. Some explained that a private consultation costs at least 10,000 ariary. This amount can weigh heavily on family budgets, especially when added to the price of medication and other health expenses. “When these opportunities arise, we take advantage of them to get treated,” one beneficiary explained. For these visitors, free services offer the possibility of consulting a doctor without having to choose between medical expenses and other household needs.
From the early hours, queues formed and quickly exceeded the planned capacity. Some people were ultimately unable to be seen despite having traveled to the site.
The turnout observed at Mahamasina highlights a persistent difficulty: for a portion of the population, the price of a consultation is enough to delay access to care. Free services thus represent an opportunity to receive treatment, while revealing the financial obstacles that still limit access to healthcare services.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-29 06:23:44 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/08/sante-le-cout-des-soins-freine-les.html