An informal public-private mix in the health sector has always existed in Uganda, and policymakers, planners and the public in general have taken this for granted. There is now renewed effort to develop a comprehensive policy on the mix, but the policy process has proved to be tortuous and the mix has been interpreted differently by different stakeholders. While significant differences in opinion on the mix still remain, it is becoming clear that the new policy should enable health institutions, whether in the public or the private sector, to play roles in which they have clear comparative advantage over others.