To accelerate progress to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for ending preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths, it is critical that health systems invest not only in increasing coverage of interventions, but also in quality, and ensuring that quality is sustainable at adequate scale. Private health care is one of the fastest growing segments of the health-care system, and private providers (i.e. individuals and organizations that are neither owned nor directly controlled by governments and being for-profit and not-for-profit, formal and informal, domestic and international) are an important source of health care.

The purpose of this workbook is to assist ministries of health, health managers and practitioners in engaging with the private sector on delivery of quality maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The workbook suggests for countries to take an iterative approach, and the steps are supported by various guiding tools for the process. It is not intended to be prescriptive, as the processes should be adapted to suit the needs of the country where it is being used.

The audience for the workbook is those who are involved with organizing and implementing processes for engaging the private sector in delivery of quality MNCH services. The workbook is to be used together with the worksheets. It may further be used in conjunction with a facilitated process, supported by a technical team with regular consultations depending on country needs.