Banking on Health Hosts Private Health Sector Trade Fairs in Uganda

Banking on Health, an Abt Associates' led project funded by USAID, has launched a series of private health sector Trade Fairs in Uganda, themed “Growing Your Private Practice.” With support from local private and public partners, Banking on Health has hosted two Fairs since December 2006, the first in Kampala (December 2006) and a second in Jinja (February 2007).

These are public fora to give different cadres of private health providers, including midwives, nurses, medical doctors, pharmacists and drug shop employees a chance to interface with relevant business suppliers and policymakers. Thus far, providers have responded with enthusiasm to these Fairs, a first of their kind in Uganda.

Uganda’s private health sector is an important source of supply in addressing the county’s priority health needs. For example, 40 percent of married women use private-sector sources to obtain contraceptives, and 20 percent use a private-sector source for deliveries.

The private sector is varied and includes small-scale providers, such as midwives, clinical officers and drug shops, as well as larger health clinics, pharmacies and hospitals. Despite their prominence, private providers lack access to critical service inputs, such as finance, and to opportunities for networking with new suppliers, management professionals and public-sector officials.

Through the Trade Fairs, Banking on Health is strengthening the scale, quality and viability of the private health sector, particularly of small-medium clinics and retail outlets that face higher constraints to growth. The Fairs give providers a chance to interface with a full range of business suppliers, including financial institutions, equipment and pharmaceutical suppliers and technology specialists. They also encourage providers to engage in policy level dialogue and collectively advocate for their practices. The Ministry of Health has participated in both Fairs to discuss new public-sector initiatives, such as social health insurance, and disseminate new policy guidelines on public-private partnerships.

The Trade Fairs are especially critical in rural areas where private providers are widely dispersed, have little ability to network with their peers or lack any formal representation or association. The first Fair in Kampala attracted close to 200 providers from the city and surrounding districts and the second Fair in Jinja attracted approximately 80 participants. Two additional Fairs are planned for Spring 2007, one in Mbarara in the South West and a second in Mbale, in the East.