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Public Sector Family Planning: How Can We Pay For It?

The public sector is the most important provider of family planning services in almost all developing countries, a status that confronts governments with large and growing costs. On the demand side, more women are entering the childbearing years and their use of family planning is increasing. At the same time, the public sector is being asked to offer additional reproductive health care services, especially for HIV prevention. Resources are not keeping up with needs. Donor funding levels are stagnant, and there is fear that they will decrease. Countries that once received donated contraceptive commodities must now buy them. What can be done to address these problems?