Madagascar Private Health Facility Mapping

Background:

The private health sector plays an important role in the provision of care in Madagascar, but the true scope and distribution of private health facilities remain unknown. In 2019, the Ministry of Health (MSP) asked USAID and SHOPS Plus to conduct a mapping of all private health facilities in Madagascar. SHOPS Plus conducted the mapping exercise in close cooperation and with the support of the focal points of the MSP, the Department of Studies, Planning and Information System (DEPSI), Professional Orders and Associations, and the health districts.

Objectives/research questions:

The main objective was to create a database of all private health sector facilities in Madagascar to provide key country stakeholders with an overview of the size, scope, geography, and characteristics of private health facilities. The data would also be used to inform programs to strengthen the private health sector in Madagascar.

Specific research questions:

• What is the geographic location (including GPS coordinates) and distribution of private health facilities? Where are they concentrated?
• What are their characteristics? (facility type, years of operation, affiliation, infrastructure, digital capacity, etc.)
• How many workers (medical and non-medical) are employed in each facility?
• What is the type and volume of services provided at private facilities?
• What types of collaboration exist between the private facilities and the public sector?
• What are the major perceived barriers to improving the performance of the health facility?

Methods:

The study targeted all private health sector facilities in Madagascar, including hospitals, clinics, centers, diagnostic and laboratory facilities, and non-governmental organizations. Pharmacies and drug stores were excluded from this mapping. SHOPS Plus and a local research partner, Agence Capsule, compiled a comprehensive list of private health facilities, conducted field work to validate the list, and used snowball sampling to expand it. Surveyors administered face-to-face interviews with facility managers. SHOPS Plus analyzed the data collected and prepared a final report with GIS maps of facilities.

Census reveals key role of the private sector in Madagascar’s health system

Status: Completed
Last updated: October 2021

Learn more about our work in Madagascar.

See other SHOPS Plus studies.