Africa's Private Health sector and Aid

Philip Stevens writes in the Taipei Times

According to International Finance Corporation and World Bank figures, between a third and half of the US$16.7 billion spent on health in sub-Saharan Africa in 2005 was spent in the private sector, often by the poorest people who cannot get government services. This huge capacity is ignored by donors, who for ideological reasons prefer to work directly with governments.
Donors should be embracing this massive capacity, offering competitive contracts to deliver health services. Non-profit groups, government and, crucially, the private sector should all be competing to deliver a broad set of services, such as improving maternal health. This competitive stimulus would give a powerful incentive to improve standards...[continue reading]