Greetings and apologies for any cross-postings!

The latest material posted on Family Health International's Web site
includes an 80-page report entitled "Issues in the Financing of Family
Planning Services in Sub-Saharan Africa", as well as related policy briefs.
Descriptions and hyperlinks for each are provided below.

        Issues in the Financing of Family Planning Services in Sub-Saharan
Africa, by B. Janowitz, D. Measham and C. West, Family Health International:
Research Triangle Park, NC, 1999. Through a comprehensive review of
available data, this report analyzes the need for additional funds for
family planning in sub-Saharan Africa; approaches to charging fees for
family planning services; strategies for expanding commercial sector
participation; and options for reducing program costs and enhancing
efficiency. (http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/report/intro.html
<http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/report/intro.html> )

        Brief 1: The Need for Additional Funds for Family Planning in
Sub-Saharan Africa
        This brief takes a look at the need for family planning funding by:
estimating current and future needs for family planning services; estimating
the costs of meeting these needs; estimating the amount of family planning
funding currently provided by donors and governments; examining the sources
of funding for family planning; and examining the arguments for and against
donor and government subsidies for contraceptive services.
(http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/briefs/brief1.html
<http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/briefs/brief1.html> )

        Brief 2: Charging Fees for Family Planning Services
        This brief examines the prospects for mobilizing revenues for family
planning services by instituting or increasing fees charged to clients. The
following issues are addressed: assessment of the impact of fees on demand
for services; comparison of the impact of fees on demand for health care
with their impact on demand for family planning; assessment of the potential
for maintaining demand by improving service quality; and assessment of the
potential for using means testing to ensure access for the poor.
(http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/briefs/brief2.html
<http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/briefs/brief2.html> )

        Brief 3: Expanding Commercial Sector Participation in Family
Planning
        This brief examines prospects for reducing the burden on public
sector services by promoting the growth of the commercial sector. The
following issues are addressed: definition of the commercial sector for
family planning; scope and characteristics of the commercial sector in
sub-Saharan Africa; extent to which individuals with the ability to pay for
commercial sector services use the public sector; interventions that can be
used to promote commercial sector growth; and key questions to help
determine whether and how to invest further resources in the commercial
sector. (http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/briefs/brief3.html
<http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/briefs/brief3.html> )

        Brief 4: Reducing Costs and Enhancing Efficiency
        This brief discusses ways to reduce the costs of family planning
services. Potential strategies include: assessing and understanding the
actual costs of providing services so that lower-cost methods and
distribution systems can be identified, with due regard for choice and
access; using excess capacity in delivery systems; reducing or eliminating
costly regulations and unnecessary procedures; and integrating family
planning services with broader reproductive health care.
(http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/briefs/brief4.html
<http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fpother/economics/briefs/brief4.html> )

Many other FHI publications are also available in full-text versions in
English, Spanish and French on our Web site: http://www.fhi.org.
<http://www.fhi.org/>

FHI is committed to helping women and men have access to safe, effective,
acceptable and affordable family planning methods to ensure that they
achieve their desired number and spacing of children; preventing the spread
of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); and improving
the health of women and children.

David Hock
Senior Information Projects Coordinator
Family Health International
e-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>