Introduction
External donors are often an important source of financial and technical assistance for the health sector. They can include bilateral organizations like the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), as well as multilateral organizations like the World Bank and UN Population Fund (UNFPA). Their support can be an important catalyst for engaging and integrating the private sector into the overall health system. Assessment teams should seek to determine their interest in harnessing the private sector to address a country’s health challenges.