Asma Qureshi, MBBS, MPH, Department of Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, 2404530491, maqasma@aol.com and Aleya Ali, MBBS, Social Marketing Pakistan, Green Star Program, Pakistan, D-29 Block 2, KDA Scheme 5, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.

Abstract:

Objectives: To determine whether provider training in Family Planning and Reproductive Health services offered by franchises in Pakistan positively impacts Family Planning service utilization among low-income urban families. Methods: We analyzed 2001 cluster data collected by Green Star Franchise Network. The dataset consisted of a Family Planning provider interview with 1113 respondents. Participants were asked about work experience, affiliation with Government, franchises or Non-Governmental Organizations, client load and specific training. The focus of the comparison is the effect of training on client outcomes between franchise and private non-franchise clinics. Results: Compared to franchises, staff in private non-franchise clinics was significantly less likely to have received training in FP/RH (OR=0.15, P=0.00). Total client volume was higher at Government and NGO facilities but lower at private non-franchise clinics when compared to franchise service delivery points (SDP). Training significantly increased client volume (coeff=0.35, SE=0.08). Having worked at government establishments increased a provider’s likelihood of being trained but affiliation with a franchise network did not affect the odds of training received from franchise. Compared to female providers, male providers had significantly smaller clientele (coeff= -0.2, SE=0.08). Conclusion: Providers received more Family Planning training from franchises than private non-franchises and experienced a higher Family Planning client volume. Given that the private sector in Pakistan plays an important role in provision of FP services, our data supports social franchising as an innovative approach to enhancing quality of care and FP service utilization in urban Pakistan.

Learning Objectives: