The Bank is providing intellectual and practical help to governments in their efforts to decide on appropriate and complementary roles for the private and public sectors in development. The aim is to benefit from a competitive and diverse supply of services in education and health, within a well-regulated environment, while ensuring that consumers have adequate information to make appropriate choices. Bank-supported social investment funds in 12 countries in Latin America have involved the private sector, with much of the implementation by private citizens. This partnership has proved highly effective and efficient-and popular. Private industry is particularly important in nutrition programs.
Private industry can similarly fortify other foods with vitamins and minerals.
In Senegal, supplementary feeding and growth monitoring in urban areas is to be carried out in a Bank project using local private contractors. In the Bank-supported Honduras Nutrition and Health Project, the private sector is involved in all stages of a food coupon program. With local experts. It is increasingly becoming the norm for Bank staff to collaborate with government staff and local academics and experts in projects and policy work. As early as 1987, two Zimbabwean Health Ministry staff were seconded as full-time members of the Bank team that researched and wrote an influential study on health finance issues.