Vouchers: A Hot Ticket for Reaching the Poor and Other Special Groups With Voluntary Family Planning Services

Abstract

Vouchers can be a highly effective tool to increase access to and use of family planning and reproductive health services, especially for special populations including the poor, youth, and postpartum women. Voucher programs need to include social and behavior change communication with clients and quality assurance for providers, whether in the private or public sector. In the longer term, voucher programs can strengthen health systems capacity and provide a pathway to strategic purchasing such as insurance or contracting.

Family Planning Vouchers in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Systematic Review

“…Lastly, studies could contribute in testing and documenting effective strategies that convert vouchers to government-financed models that can sustain the approach beyond donor horizons (Menotti and Farrell 2016).…”

An Implementer's Perspective on Vouchers for Sexual and Reproductive Health Services

“…Menotti and Farrell note that “voucher programs may strengthen capacity and readiness in the health system for implementing universal health coverage.” 1 We concur. This readiness can only come from dialogue that spans far wider than the implementers of the voucher program and its direct donors.…”

“…We found the commentary on vouchers by Menotti and Farrell, published in the September issue of GHSP, 1 thought-provoking and comprehensive. At Marie Stopes International (MSI), every year we deliver half a million voluntary contraception and maternal health services via voucher programs in 8 countries.…”

“…At Marie Stopes International (MSI), every year we deliver half a million voluntary contraception and maternal health services via voucher programs in 8 countries. We have directly experienced that “vouchers can be a highly effective tool to increase access to and use of family planning and reproductive health services, especially for special populations including the poor, youth, and postpartum women.” 1 We are writing to share an implementer's perspective and a few points of differentiation from Menotti and Farrell.…”

Increasing Contraceptive Access for Hard-to-Reach Populations With Vouchers and Social Franchising in Uganda

“…Voucher programs have been of increasing interest to policy makers and reproductive health care consumers in LMICs. 20 – 24 A recent systematic review found that family planning voucher programs were associated with improved contraceptive uptake, reduced fertility, and increased family planning coverage among low-income populations. However, research gaps were noted, including a lack of study outcomes on family planning quality, unintended outcomes, client qualitative experiences, family planning voucher integration with health systems, and issues related to scale-up of the voucher approach.…”