BlueStar proving a social franchising success
Social networking is all the rage via websites such as Facebook and Twitter, but Marie Stopes International (MSI) is also setting an encouraging new trend: combining ambitious social service-provision goals with a franchise model, and targeted social networking of its own.
As much of the developing world has to rely on private sector healthcare to provide contraceptives and sexual and reproductive healthcare, MSI has pioneered the use of social franchising under the BlueStar brand to significantly expand access to high quality services through existing local providers.
Arising out of a trial in Kenya named AMUA (“decide” in Kiswahili), BlueStar has expanded significantly over the last year, and has now reached almost 120,000 clients across eight countries. This has not only resulted in vital services reaching more communities faster than via organic growth; it has also empowered around 900 social businesses in a replicable and sustainable model that provides hope to reach even more of the developing world in the future.
Social Franchising in family planning
MSI identifies local health providers who have the skill and the will to upgrade to a new level of service delivery in sexual and reproductive health. They are provided training, access to relevant products and association with an increasingly recognised network. On-going monitoring ensures high standards that conform to the BlueStar name. In BlueStar, MSI is encouraged by the progress of a potentially winning formula for everyone involved.
First and most importantly, the targeted population gets access to an international quality standard of sexual and reproductive healthcare services at an accessible cost, right within their community and from local healthcare professionals they recognise.
For the dedicated independent health provider on the ground, the BlueStar programme provides a way to take their healthcare practice to the next level. They receive access to excellent training, marketing expertise and great value family planning products – including contraceptives and pregnancy kits that can be co-branded with their practice, and help them build their practice further.
For the investment in time and resources, MSI is able to reach communities at a scale that would not have been possible through MSI clinics, while maintaining a high level of service delivery. The BlueStar brand not only provides a recognised asset for the local healthcare provider that they help build, but also retains an appropriate distance from the brand of MSI’s own managed clinics.
“Quality of care is everything!” says Senanu Arkutu, BlueStar Ghana Manager. “It goes far beyond technical competence in terms of clinical service delivery into areas such as state of the outlet, customer care, and staff management.”
Promising progress
Following the AMUA programme in Kenya, MSI launched BlueStar in Ethiopia, Ghana, Viet Nam, Malawi and the Philippines in 2007, most recently adding Pakistan* and Sierra Leone, with more countries planned.
Increasingly, independent health providers are realising the benefits of a facilitated social network: through a streamlined central organisation and highly devolved decision-making and operation, MSI has been able to bring together everyone from private clinicians, pharmacists, midwives, non government organisations and government representatives for the sharing of ideas, plans and knowledge. For example, BlueStar Sierra Leone’s Advisory Committee, which provides expert advice and direction and strengthens advocacy for the BlueStar network in Sierra Leone, has several high profile members including the first lady of Sierra Leone, Sia Koroma.
Though relatively early days in many of the BlueStar countries, MSI is energised by the success of achieving even greater impact through increased access through the BlueStar social franchise network. This sustainable model provides hope that this positive impact will only increase further in the future.
*The brand is known as Suraj in Pakistan