Public-private partnerships for effective collaboration
In much of the developing world, consumers rely on the private sector as their main source of health care. The private sector is large and diverse, encompassing a wide range of for-profit and nonprofit entities. Among these, for-profit practitioners—midwives, doctors, pharmacists, product manufacturers and distributors, shopkeepers and traditional healers—are often the leading providers of health products and services, serving all income groups.
Yet despite its varied and critical role within the health system, the private sector is often not considered in public health program planning.
Abt engages the private sector in meeting health challenges. Our work includes policy reform, brokering partnerships with pharmaceuticals, and social marketing to improve quality, affordable access of health products and services to low-income consumers. It also reduces the burden on government health workers and better targets public health resources to meet the needs of all populations, including the poor.