PSI

PSI believes in ensuring sustained access to a comprehensive method mix and maternal health services and products, and linking quality products and services with informed demand among providers and consumers.

Expanding Access

In many developing countries, a large portion of the population may not have access to family planning products and services due to lack of products, poor distribution systems, high prices, under-resourced public health systems and lack of trained, competent medical providers. To provide family planning products and services where they are most needed, PSI creates franchised networks of medical providers to offer clinical services. PSI also utilizes existing wholesale and retail distribution infrastructure to make products widely available, and expands the reach of products and services through outreach events, task-shifting to lower level providers where possible, and engaging community-based health workers.

Ensuring Affordability

PSI uses social marketing to provide affordable family planning products and services to low-income consumers. PSI programs often charge a reduced price or fee for products and services to ensure they are affordable. Willingness to pay research helps determine what price clients can afford while still contributing to the program’s sustainability. PSI products often serve as a middle-ground between free public sector products and commercial products that are unaffordable to segments of the population. To ensure that retailers or service providers earn a margin on sales (sufficient to motivate their offering a range of contraceptive products) price discounts or pay-for-performance strategies are utilized.

Addressing Social Barriers through Comprehensive Communication

PSI utilizes a broad mix of communication activities to increase demand among potential family planning clients and providers. On the client (consumer) side, these include distributing educational materials about the benefits of methods and dispelling myths and misconceptions. Communication channels range from interpersonal communication agents and direct marketing events, to radio and TV campaigns. PSI also targets providers as an audience, with the objective of motivating them to offer a broad method mix, including long-term methods that require additional training, time and equipment. PSI uses medical detailers to reach pharmacists and providers and convenes workshops and trainings to educate providers on technical issues.

Improving Service Delivery

In many countries where PSI works, gaps in provider skills in the private, public, and NGO sectors affect the overall quality of care available. PSI works with health service providers through formal, competency-based training programs, and rigorous quality assurance to ensure their ability to provide high-quality family planning services. Clinical support teams support network providers with on-the-job support and coaching. Independent quality assurance audits validate that network providers and facilities adhere to service delivery standards and that monitoring and supervision protocols are followed.

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Health Areas: Reproductive Health