Private Health Sector Project (PHSP) Year Five Work Plan

The project is managed by Abt Associates Inc. and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under Associate Cooperative Agreement no. GPO–A-00-09-00007-00. The project aims to improve access to Tuberculosis (TB), reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child health (RMNCH)/family planning (FP) and Malaria programs by enhancing the role of the private health sector in delivering clinical and non-clinical health services. The private health sector in Ethiopia is comprised of a broad range of for-profit and non-profit providers and facilities, including hospitals, laboratories, specialized centers, pharmacies, and clinics of varying sizes and service capacity. The 2017 sixth National Health Accounts report shows that 48% of household health expenditures go to the private sector. This growth in the private health sector was driven by economic investment, a more favorable attitude to the sector on the part of the Government of Ethiopia (GOE), and the leadership of USAID and its partners. PHSP works closely with the GOE at federal and regional levels and has developed effective models for ensuring delivery of quality health services. PHSP holds ongoing discussions with the GOE on creating an enabling policy environment to better integrate the private sector into the national health delivery system. This year, PHSP will maintain the scope of major public health services in TB, MNCH, FP and Malaria and geographic coverage. The Project will also prepare to transition the private facilities it works with to be managed and supported by public sector entities. The transition will be carried out in a phased approach starting from low yielding facilities to the higher ones. Quality of the clinical services will not be compromised as PHSP works to strengthen support and oversight of the private sector by government counterparts. Throughout Project implementation, PHSP will adhere to the following principles: host-government ownership and sustainability; coordination, collaboration, and partnership; integration; a women-centered approach; and promotion of documenting best practices and success stories. In Year Five, the Project will work in Afar, Addis Ababa, Amhara, Benshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa, Gambella, Harari, Oromia, SNNPR and Tigray regions in program areas funded by PMI, TB, MNCH and FP programs. PHSP will provide technical assistance to Gambella, Dire Dawa and Harari remotely from its Addis Ababa Office until the transition to the RHBs is completely effected. This technical assistance (TA) will support the private health sector using the strategy depicted in Figure 1, with a focus to prepare regional entities to assume full support of these private facilities and the facilities to have the clinical and non-clinical skills. The project will continue to work on four main purposes: Enabling Environment for Private Sector Engagement in Health Improved, Access to Quality Services for Diseases of Public Health Importance Increased, Private Health Care System Strengthened, and Program Learning and Innovative Ventures Enhanced for the Private Health Sector. The project will also mainstream gender into its activities, with strategies, activities, and expected outputs outlined in the project plan. The project will work closely with the Regional Health Bureaus (RHB) and Town Health Offices (THO) to transition the private facilities it works with to be managed and supported by public sector entities. The project will also provide technical assistance to Gambella, Dire Dawa and Harari remotely from its Addis Ababa Office until the transition to the RHBs is completely effected. The project will continue to adhere to the principles of host-government ownership and sustainability, coordination, collaboration, and partnership, integration, a women-centered approach, and promotion of documenting best practices and success stories.