Perturbed over population explosion, the Union Health Ministry has reached out to the private sector for dispensing family planning services in poor performing states. Starting with high population areas, the National Population Stabilisation Fund, under the Union Health Ministry, has invited an Expression of Interest from qualified and experienced agencies for implementing family planning services through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode (franchising model) in the states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar.

FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMS A FAILURE IN THESE STATES

The performance of family planning programs is disappointing in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (BIMARU states) as these states have a swollen Total Fertility Rate (TFR). TFR is the average number of children expected to be born per woman during her entire span of reproductive period, and India has a TFR target of 2.1 per cent.

"The TFR in 23 districts of BIMARU states is above four per cent i.e. 11 from UP, eight from Bihar and two each from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh," said Union Health Minister, JP Nadda. The National Population Stabilisation Fund, referred to as Master Franchiser in the program, will introduce Social Franchisee Scheme (SFS) as (PPP) by con-Family planning scheme goes private tracting agencies who will work as Social Franchising Organizations (SFOs). They will work in least four to five adjacent districts of UP and Bihar, and further contract the local Private Health Provider, stand-alone clinics, privateaccredited facilities, community-based health organisations and NGOs working in the health sector to join a branded franchised chain for providing quality family planning services.

GOVERNMENT'S SOLUTION

The government, in turn, will offer administrative operational cost and supply contraceptives, such as condoms, Copper T, birth control pills free of cost to the providers, along with necessary guidelines for the services.

"The social franchising arrangement is expected to make the family planning programme more efficient and equitable, increase coverage and reach, and reduce the operational burden on the government. It will also help in improving access to essential family planning services due to unavailability or shortage of public providers," said a senior official in the National Population Stabilisation Fund.

PPP SCHEME OF 2007

The government had launched a PPP scheme in 2007 to accredit local private doctors, stand alone nursing homes, and community based organisations and NGOs for the delivery of family planning services to improve awareness and uptake of these services.

"This PPP scheme has now been improved upon to plug the gaps and weaknesses and make the scheme more efficient and attractive to the private sector," the official added.

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