Integrating Microfinance and Health - Global Microcredit Summit 2011

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The MAHP initiative found that health protection services and products have a positive impactnot only on clients but also on the financial bottom line of the MFI. Twenty-four percent ofCRECER clients in Bolivia had never seen a doctor before participating in organized ―healthdays‖ during which clients received diagnostic and treatment services, such as Pap smears anddiabetes detection, for a small fee. In Burkina Faso, the percentage of RCPB clients seekingpreventive health care increased from 9 to 24 percent in the program area that received access tohealth savings and health loan accounts. 10 The costing analyses revealed that the various servicesdesigned by the participating MFIs resulted in a net cost to the MFI of $1.59 per client per year,on average. Some health protection products, such as health loans, were found to be profitablefor the MFI. Other products (such as CRECER’s ―health days‖) may never generate directrevenue for the MFI but can contribute significantly to the social mission at very low cost.Evidence also suggested that increases in client growth and retention occurred in MAHP areascompared to areas where the MFIs were not yet offering the products. It was estimated that ifthese products resulted in 5 percent more new or retained clients, then they would effectivelyresult in a net profit for the MFIs—meaning that the health protection products were cost-neutralor better. 11Freedom from Hunger is continuing to work with partners to innovate around the integration ofmicrofinance and health. Although health micro-insurance was represented among the MAHPinnovations, Freedom from Hunger continues to experiment with helping MFIs link their clientsto existing national health insurance schemes and is testing out the role that consumer educationplays in informing clients about health insurance, how to access it and benefit from it. Newpartners across Latin America, Africa and Asia continue to integrate health education and manyare beginning to experiment with the additional services such as health loans, savings, healthproducts and insurance. In addition to these services, Freedom from Hunger is exploring the role10 Metcalfe M, Leatherman S, Dunford C, Gray B, Gash M, Reinsch M & Chandler C. Health and microfinance:Leveraging the strengths of two sectors to alleviate poverty. Freedom from Hunger Research Paper No. 9. 27 pp.Davis, CA: Freedom from Hunger. June 2010. http://www.ffhtechnical.org/resources/microfinance-amphealth/health-and-microfinance-leveraging-strengths-two-sectors-alleviate(also International Health, in review).11 Reinsch M, Dunford C & Metcalfe M. The business case for adding health protection to microfinance. Freedomfrom Hunger Research Paper No. 10. 35pp. June 2010. Davis, CA: Freedom from Hunger.http://www.ffhtechnical.org/resources/microfinance-amp-health/business-case-adding-health-protectionmicrofinance(also Enterprise Development and Microfinance, in review).46
that technology can play in improving health outcomes among microfinance clients and theirfamilies.47
Page 1 and 2: 2011 Global Microcredit SummitCommi
Page 3 and 4: Integrating Microfinance and Health
Page 6 and 7: Microfinance clients and staff freq
Page 8 and 9: In data collected in three countrie
Page 10 and 11: Table 1: Principal barriers to heal
Page 14 and 15: outcomes (Box 1) that are criticall
Page 16 and 17: MFI-sourced over-the-counter health
Page 18 and 19: to women’s health. One such area
Page 20 and 21: As described above, research with B
Page 22 and 23: and health micro-insurance. Further
Page 24 and 25: Microfinance providers clearly can
Page 26 and 27: Figure 2. Range of health-related i
Page 28 and 29: and private-sector health professio
Page 30 and 31: BibliographyAnderson GF. Missing in
Page 32 and 33: Metcalfe M & Reinsch Sinclair M. En
Page 34 and 35: U.S. Agency for International Devel
Page 36 and 37: ASIAOrganization Health Services Co
Page 38 and 39: Organization Health Services Countr
Page 40 and 41: Appendix BThree Case Descriptions:
Page 42 and 43: Rigorous studies conducted in 2008
Page 44 and 45: its clients. The doctors worked at
Page 46 and 47: All programs are currently particip

Integrating Microfinance and Health - Global Microcredit Summit 2011

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