Integrating private providers into national disease programs is increasingly seen as critical to extending access-to-care, particularly to poor households which paradoxically are often among those most likely to pay for private services. A number of global programs, notably TB, malaria, and reproductive health, have made considerable progress in engaging private providers in both prevention and treatment activities. Private TB care is supported through public-private mix (PPM-DOTS) initiatives in all high-burden countries. Subsidized private distribution of malaria nets and medicines, of family planning commodities and services, and of clean water and vitamins are all accepted as effective and desirable by both donors and low-income governments and are common around the world. This type of engagement is less common in donor-supported HIV/AIDS programs.
This talk on Monday, January 28, 2008 focused on the possible reasons for why this is so, and why a few countries are exceptions and continue support for private ART as a component of their national AIDS programs. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing for sustainability of programs, for access to care, and for social justice and cost-effectiveness was discussed.
The event featured Dominic Montagu, Assistant Professor and Researcher, University of California San Francisco, and Director, Health Systems Programs, UCSF Global Health Group along with comments from April Harding, Visiting Fellow, Center for Global Development. Mead Over, Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development, moderated the discussion.
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