PSI Launches Franchised Health Services in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti—PSI/Haiti joined a prestigious group of PSI countries in January—those offering social franchising of reproductive health services. Haiti now joins Madagascar, Myanmar, Pakistan, the United States, and Zimbabwe on a growing list of PSI programs that offer such services to complement PSI's traditional line of health products.

Before a crowd of government officials, donors, partners, NGOs, and the press, PSI/Haiti unveiled its franchise brand: Soley Pa Nou (Our Sun, in Creole). The official launch ceremony was presided over by Emile Charles, the Director-General of the Haitian Ministry of Health, Dr. Gabriel Thimothé, of the MOH, and Greta Roy, the President of the Haitian Medical Association. Each lent their strong support and heaped praise on the new initiative.

Soley Pa Nou's logo emphasizes family health in general rather than family planning specifically so that other non-contraceptive products and services can be added to the network at a later date. The slogan of Soley Pa Nou is "Konbit Pou la Sante Miyo" (Getting Together for Better Health).

Initially, this pilot project will feature 50 doctors operating in Port-au-Prince. They will be trained in family planning with an emphasis on side effect management and counseling. To date, 20 doctors have been trained and an additional 30 will be added by the end of March 2002. The first group of doctors to participate in the network was so impressed with the training and the concept that they pooled their resources and bought gifts for the trainers.

To reinforce the visibility of the network and the morale of the participating doctors, each franchisee that successfully completes the training receives a colorful outdoor logo for their clinics, as well as a branded medical/lab coat, wall clock, and a set of logo prescription blocks.

Television and radio commercials have begun broadcasting Soley Pa Nou commercials. The impact of this campaign is already being felt as PSI/Haiti's staff is beginning to receive calls from doctors eager to participate.

The Soley Pa Nou pilot project was made possible through support from the Bergstrom Foundation and PSI/Packard funds.

—Doug Call

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The slogan of the Soley Pa Nou franchise is "Konbit Pou la Sante Miyo" (Getting Together for Better Health).