IFC's Strategy

To respond to these findings and help Africa address its health care challenges—including improving services to the poor—IFC will work with local businesspeople, financial intermediaries, policymakers, donors, and other stakeholders in the international community.

IFC and its partners are planning to mobilize up to $1 billion of investment and advisory services support over the next five years. IFC's strategy includes:

• Creating an equity investment vehicle ($100 million to start, and up to $300-350 million over five years) to provide health care entrepreneurs and businesses, including those involved in medical education, with better access to equity and expertise.
• Partnering with local financial institutions to improve access to long-term debt for health care organizations ($400-500 million over five years).
• Providing advisory services to build capacity within local financial intermediaries and the health care companies they lend to.
• Expanding the activities of IFC's life sciences team in the region.
• Helping expand education of health care workers through public-private partnerships.
• Encouraging development of health insurance companies.
• Improving the environment for private health care to flourish, including:
  
  
  1. Supporting in-depth country assessments of the business environment for private health care.
  2. Working with governments to reform private health care regulation and expand formal public-private partnerships.
  3. Producing a biannual report highlighting the health care investment climate across Africa and successful models of public-private interactions and private sector activity.