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Expanding The Private Sector Commercial Role In Meeting Reproductive Health Needs: Getting Down To Business

Governments in developing countries have an important role to play in making reproductive health products and services affordable for the poor and other under-served groups. Accordingly, efforts to improve access to family planning and other reproductive health care have focused primarily on the public sector. However, the private for-profit sector in these countries also has enormous potential to help meet the increasing demand for good quality reproductive health care. Many developing country households earn enough to bear all or part of their health care costs, and are willing to pay for the better quality and more efficient care offered by private as compared to public health facilities. Encouraging a greater role for the private sector can allow governments to refocus their efforts on reaching the poorest and most remote communities.