Episodes of illness due to outbreaks can cause catastrophic health expenditures to a household from medical and non-medical out-of-pocket expenditures.

Key Evidence: A 2006-07 meningococcal meningitis epidemic in Burkina Faso cost households an average of US$90 for each case of meningitis that occurred. These costs — representing nearly 2.5 months of the average per capita income for that year — included direct and indirect costs of treatment and lost income to caretakers.