Resource availability, utilisation and cost in the provision of critical care in Tanzania: a protocol for a systematic review

Introduction Critical care is essential in saving lives of those that are critically ill, however, provision critical can be costly and heterogeneous across lower-resource settings. This paper describes the protocol for a systematic review literature aims to identify reported costs resources available forms Tanzania. Methods analysis The will follow Preferred Reporting Items Systematic Reviews Meta-Analyses guidelines. Three databases (MEDLINE, Embase Global Health) searched articles report care, used Tanzania, their availability associated costs. search strategy developed from four key concepts; provision, illness, resource use, fulfil inclusion exclusion criteria assessed quality using Reference Case Estimating Costs Health Services Interventions checklist. extracted data summarised descriptive statistics including frequencies, mean median quantity components services, depending on availability. study carried out between February November 2021. Ethics dissemination secondary ethical clearance was sought granted by Tanzanian National Institute Medical Research (reference: NIMR/HQ/R.8a/Vol. IX/3537) London School Hygiene Tropical Medicine (ethics ref: 22866). We publish peer-reviewed journal as an open access article addition presenting findings at conferences public scientific gatherings. PROSPERO registration number registered with PROSPERO; number: CRD42020221923.