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Summa and the Uganda Private Providers Loan Fund (Investment Brief)
How can a microfinance program influence client perception of the quality of care at clinics?
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This document studies the impact of a microfinance program that provided finance and business skills training to its clients.
The document provides the following information about the Summa Foundation and its microfinance and business skills training program:
- Objective: to provide financing and business skills training to increase the viability of private practices, expand services, and improve the quality of care;
- Target clientele: small private providers, such as midwives, nurses, doctors, clinical officers and drug shops;
- Loan structure: identification of recipients through professional associations and direct marketing to private practices; loan amounts of $30 to $5000; loan periods of six to twelve months.
The document concludes by presenting the following findings about:
- Provider profile:
- Majority of borrowers were midwives followed by nurses and clinical officers;
- The maximum number of providers were found in peri-urban areas;
- Most clients were from the lower middle income classes.
- Viability:
- Although the program showed no significant impact on net income, there was an increase in savings.
- Service expansion:
- There was a significant increase in the proportion of clients who obtained preventive services.
- Improving quality:
- There were significant changes at intervention clinics in perceived quality indicators, including drug availability, fair charges, privacy, accessibility, and range of services offered;
- Clients at intervention clinics were more likely to say that they always visited the same clinic.
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