Microfinance Investments in Quality at Private Clinics in Uganda: A Case-Control Study

This study examines the potential of microfinance loans to strengthen the private health sector and improve access to quality preventive and curative health services in Uganda. It estimates logistic regressions using 2,387 client exit interviews to assess the impact of microfinance loans on perceived quality, viability and sustainability of small, private clinics.The study states that small private sector health care providers can play an important role in meeting a developing countrys health care needs, but lack of credit can constrain small provider expansion. Study results indicate that the microfinance program improved perceived quality at loan recipient clinics, especially as reliable drug outlets. Findings include:

• Clients at intervention clinics did perceive improvements in the expansion of services and several indicators of quality of care;
• Loan recipients clients were more likely to choose clinics on the basis of drug availability, fair charges, cleanliness, and confidentiality;
• There was evidence of increased client flows;
• There were mixed results for sustainability with respondents being only half as likely to always visit a particular clinic;
• Practicality of loan clinics to provide quality health care services was limited to clients who could afford to pay.