The Business of Health in Africa:
partnering with the Private Sector to Improve People’s Lives

This study, conducted by IFC with assistance from McKinsey & Company, estimates that over the next decade, $25–$30 billion in new investment will be needed in health care assets, including hospitals, clinics, and distribution warehouses, to meet the growing health care demands of Sub-Saharan Africa.

This IFC report highlights the critical role the private sector can play in meeting the need for more and higher-quality health care in Sub-Saharan Africa. It also identifies policy changes that governments and international donors can make to enable the private sector to take on an ever more meaningful role in closing Africa’s health care gap.

It is important to acknowledge at the outset that many in the public health community oppose in principle a role for the private sector in health care. Indeed, there are legitimate concerns about the role of private providers. The private sector in Sub-Saharan Africa is diverse and fragmented, and as a result, quality can be inconsistent. Moreover, the lack of regulatory and accreditation frameworks combined with a largely uninformed patient population can sometimes allow an unscrupulous minority to prevail over responsible providers—to the detriment of the reputation of all.

The truth is, however, that for-profit companies, non-profit organizations, and social enterprises, along with insurers, providers, and manufacturers, already play an important role in providing health care to the region. They account for as much as 50 percent of health care provision, and their role is growing.

To download the document:
http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/healthinafrica.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/IFCHealthinAfrica_
ExecSumm/$FILE/IFCHealthInAfrica_ExecSumm.pdf

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