The number of private sector (PS) interventions in a country or designated region to increase supply of quality family planning (FP) products and services to target populations that have been established, expanded, or strengthened during a specified time period.

Interventions to increase supply can include improved PS models for distribution and services, social marketing programs, introduction of new products, pharmaceutical partnerships, financial incentives, and PS loans and financing (Abt, 2011).

The private sector is defined as all the providers, suppliers, and ancillary and support services that lie outside the public sector. These include commercial or for-profit entities, franchises, multinational corporations, non-profit organizations, community groups, informal vendors, and private providers, such as doctors, pharmacies, and hospital staff (Armand et al., 2007).

FP services should be available to men as well as women and to adolescents (with referral as required), and target populations identified by risk, age group, income levels, and urban/rural location. Quality standards should be based on international guidelines, although these may be adapted on a national basis, and include providing clients with essential information during counseling, eliciting client history, conducting physical examination and monitoring, and providing FP method, follow-up and treatment according to standard protocols (WHO/UNFPA, 2008; Abt, 2005). The basic package of FP methods available should include modern methods (pill, IUD, injection, condom [male and female], spermicides/foam/jelly, diaphragm, vaginal ring, patch, sponge, cervical cap, and emergency contraception) and counseling and/or referrals on fertility awareness methods, postpartum FP, and the lactational amenorrhea method, in addition to referrals for methods requiring higher levels of care, such as implants and sterilization.

This indicator is calculated as:

Total number of PS interventions or programs designed to increase the supply of quality FP products and services that have been established, expanded or strengthened during the past year (or other designated time frame) in a country or specified area.

This is one of the core indicators for Scaling up effective service delivery and distribution of health products and services from the Strengthening Health Outcomes though the Private Sector (SHOPS) Project Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (Abt, 2009). The updated SHOPS PMP (Abt, 2011) subdivides a corresponding indicator into six categories of interventions for strengthening PS supplies and service delivery. For more details on this and related indicators from the SHOPS project, see Abt (2005); Abt (2009); Abt (2011); and Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (2009).