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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Rob Stephenson, BSc, MSc, PhD, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, University Square, CB#8120, 123 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, 919 843 4445, Rob_Stephenson@unc.edu, A.O Tsui, MA, PhD, Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, W4503, Baltimore, MD 21205-2179, Rehana Ahmed, MD, Social Marketing Pakistan, D-29, Block 2, KDA Scheme 5, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan, Arisingh Dutt, Reshmi Complex, Janani, P&T Colony, Kidwaipuri, Patna, 800 001, India, Getachew Bekele, Marie Stopes International/Ethiopia, P.O. box 5775, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Teshalech Sibhatu, Pathfinder International/Ethiopia, P.O. Box 41840, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The provision of reproductive health (RH) services has historically been the domain of the public sector. However, detractions including long waiting times, perceived poor quality, and lack of method choice, combined with the available capacity of the private sector, have prompted donors first to explore the concept of social marketing and now social franchising to strengthen health system delivery of RH services. Social RH franchises work in conjunction with or expand existing social marketing efforts. Incorporating the components of branding, provider training, quality assurance of care, and fee-for-service guidelines, RH franchise networks offer the potential to increase access to affordable, high quality RH services. Using 2001 data from probability sample surveys of 2,694 health facilities and 13,904 clients in three countries (Pakistan, Bihar in northern India, and Ethiopia), this study evaluates the benefits afforded to a facility that is part of a RH franchise. The analysis examines the impact of franchise participation on client volume, revenue from RH services, range of family planning methods offered and service quality. Franchises perform well in comparison with government establishments in the provision of quality RH service. Income revenues from contraceptive services are not disproportionately high, but an expanded client base offers the provider income potential from other types of health services.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Reproductive Health, Service Delivery
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.