Healthcare expenses are becoming difficult for some families to bear. The cost of medicines adds to tests, consultations and other expenses incurred when a loved one falls ill. At the hospital, families sometimes face multiple expenses at once. "We currently have a sick relative, and buying medicines represents a significant part of our expenses," says a family member. With daily needs, particularly food, some families struggle to allocate more money to healthcare. To reduce these expenses, some people turn to traditional medicine. Massages and the use of plants are among the practices chosen. "Care through massage and traditional medicine are less expensive. You can then return home without having to bear hospital fees and other expenses, apart from the amount paid to the practitioner," explains one person interviewed. Self-medication is also an observed practice. Some people take medicines directly or use plants without consulting a doctor. This reality occurs as medicine prices remain linked to several factors. Lee Rindra Raoelinavalona, president of the Order of Pharmacists, explains that medicines are mostly imported. The decline in the value of the ariary leads to price increases. The price also depends on the purchase price from wholesalers, whose suppliers may differ. Generic medicines do exist, however. Between hospital expenses, medicines and daily needs, families adapt their choices according to their means and possibilities. Fanilo Mampianintsoa