ABSTRACT
Liberalizations in the healthcare sector of several economies in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that allow private individuals to own and manage health facilities have increased competition in the industry. This has heightened the interest in health services marketing. Irrespective of this interest, little attention has been paid to healthcare providers’ usage of the marketing communications mix, especially in the African context. This book chapter therefore explores how healthcare providers, specifically hospitals, in SSA use the various parts of the marketing communication mix of advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and direct/digital marketing, as well as personal selling. The chapter reveals that marketing communication tools like public relations, direct/digital marketing, and advertising, have been fairly well used by hospitals in the context under consideration. However, sales promotion and personal selling are yet to be widely embraced in the sector. The chapter therefore presents some suggestions for consideration by healthcare providers in their marketing communications efforts. It also argues that a significant review of the advertisement ban in the code of ethics of medical associations and healthcare regulators in several jurisdictions in SSA is long overdue.
