Counting on the private sector to understand the total market: Considerations for DMPA-SC data collection, reporting and use

In this Making Self-Injection Count workshop session, participants were engaged in a lively discussion and interactive collaboration around the important considerations for private sector data collection and reporting on self-care products such as DMPA-SC. This session began with a short presentation to set the stage on the important role of private sector and data within the context of mixed health systems. Participants joined a moderated discussion with three in-country implementers from Nigeria (DKT), Uganda (PSI) and Zambia (JSI) who shared their experiences and lessons from introducing DMPA SC self-injection and other self-care products through private delivery channels. The session concluded with a facilitated, interactive activity to identify and prioritize private sector data needs.

Objectives

By the end of the session, participants were able to:

• Characterize the private sector within the context of the total market for DMPA-SC and other self-care products.
• Describe the current landscape for provision of DMPA-SC self-injection through the private sector.
• Identify the unique considerations and feasibility for collecting private sector data within mixed health systems.

Key takeaways

• The private sector is highly diverse and fragmented, comprised of profit and non-for-profit, formal and informal, domestic and global non-state actors. A total market approach (TMA) considers all channels of service delivery–public and private–to increase equitable and sustainable access to health products and services by maximizing the comparative advantage of all sectors. TMA builds upon market segmentation, using various channels to expand the overall market and meet demand for family planning, particularly where the public sector is not meeting women’s preferences/needs.
• Aligning and harmonizing data in mixed health systems is complicated. Different types of data are needed at various levels to understand the total market. By taking a holistic perspective–one that considers both the public and private sectors–we can identify the opportunities and gaps that exist at client, provider and systems level to guide policy, program, and investment decisions. Some data is more readily available, such as public sector procurement and distribution trends. However, other data, such as consumer retail price, willingness to pay or volumes of product sold, are often less available due to a variety of reasons, and sometimes require additional research.
• It is important to engage and understand the perspectives of the private sector when it comes to data collection/reporting desires and needs of governments and other stakeholders.

Presenters

• Ariella Bock, Senior Technical Advisor, JSI
• Mika Bwembya, Health Supply Chain and Total Market Director, USAID DISCOVER Health Project
• Kimberly Cole, Private Sector Service Delivery Programs, USAID’s Global Health Bureau’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health
• Tanvi Pandit-Rajani, Private Sector & Health Markets Lead, JSI
• Christine Prefontaine, Senior Human-Centered Design Advisor, JSI
• Victoria Webbe, Regional Knowledge Manager, DKT Francophone West and Central Africa