Table 1.
Location and characteristics of the 7 study hospitals
| Hospital identifier (location) |
Hospital type (referral level) | Number of beds (bed occupancy) |
Malaria endemicity | Funding source | User charging policy |
| H1 (Nairobi province) |
National (tertiary) | 1520 (138%) |
Low | Government budgetary allocation, user fees and occasional donations. | To offer free health care services to all children under 5 years. |
| H2 (Rift valley province) |
Provincial (secondary) | 453 (80%) |
Moderate | ||
| H3 (Nyanza province) |
District (primary) | 234 (80%) |
High | ||
| H4 (Central province) |
District (primary) |
208 (120%) |
Moderate | ||
| H5 (Eastern province) |
District (primary) |
182 (108%) |
Moderate | ||
| H6 (Rift valley province) |
Mission (primary) | 308 (49%) |
Moderate | User fees (approx 80% of the budget), government seconded staff, donations (unpredictable and occasional). | Operate waiver and credit facilities for patients not able to pay. |
| H7 (Rift valley province) |
Mission (primary) | 160 (59%) |
Moderate | ||