Improving Health Care Services In India: Public-Private Partnership is the Way Out

A Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies. Public-Private Partnerships and Collaboration (PPPs and PPC) in the Health Sector is important and timely in light of the challenges the public sector is facing in healthcare finance, management, and provision. PPPs and PPC in the health sector can take a variety of forms with differing degrees of public and private sector responsibility and risk but are characterized by various similarities as well. In our country, with regard to health care, the main responsibility is that of the state which aims to provide free access to health care system to all sections of the society. But a look at the health infrastructure of our country shows that in rural areas, in particular, there is insufficient infrastructure, be it hospitals, primary health care systems, ambulances etc. Hence, the urgent need of the government is to immediately take measures that will help to develop a basis to provide the needed medical support to all. Although the private sector is inequitable and expensive with over-application of clinical/operational procedures, it is perceived to be easily accessible, better managed and more efficient than its public counterpart. It is expected that PPP model in the sector will prove the success story of Indian health care system.