Evidence indicates that the private health sector plays a substantial role, especially in
developing countries, and that the private health sector is heavily used by the poor, in
an unregulated environment.
Based on reviews of international peer-reviewed papers
and gray literature and an additional secondary data analysis, this paper reviews and
provides an understanding of the private health sector’s role in low- and middleincome
countries and its relationship with the governmental capacity to regulate
private providers, in particular, and to act as health system steward, in general.