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The Vital Role of the Private Sector in Reproductive Health

Governments in developing countries are challenged to meet the health needs of their populations because of financial constraints, limited human resources, and weak health infrastructure. And while universal access to reproductive health care—including family planning, maternal health care, and prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections—is critical to achieve the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals, it is far from becoming a reality. Governments are often major providers of reproductive health services, but inadequate funding greatly limits the availability and quality of the services. The private sector can help expand access to and quality of reproductive health services through its resources, expertise, and infrastructure. This brief provides an overview of the private sector, highlights the critical role it plays in delivering health services and products in developing countries, and explains how governments and donor agencies can engage this sector to achieve reproductive health goals.