Public-Private Partnerships: A Key to Equitable Healthcare Access

Equity in healthcare delivery

Our inaugural session centred on promoting equity in healthcare delivery across the continuum of care, from primary care to hospital settings. Esteemed speakers from the WHO, University College London, and leading institutions in China, the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, India and Singapore shared case studies and valuable insights from their respective countries. Key takeaways included:

• Private sector involvement is widespread: Private providers play a significant role in delivering healthcare globally, particularly in primary care.
  
• Regulation and coordination are crucial: Ensuring quality, equity, and accountability requires strong governance and regulation of the private sector.
  
• PPPs offer opportunities and challenges: While PPPs can bring innovation, efficiency and expanded access, they also pose challenges in terms of financing, data reporting, inclusion and ensuring quality of care.

Equitable access to specialist services

The second session focused on equitable access to specialist services, particularly surgery. Speakers explored the role of PPPs in addressing the enormous burden of health conditions requiring surgical care, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Speakers raised the following issues:

• Surgical care disparities persist: Despite the importance of surgery, access to quality surgical care remains inequitable, particularly in LMICs.
• PPPs can enhance capacity: PPPs can help address workforce shortages, infrastructure gaps, and financial constraints in expanding access to surgical services. They may also provide training opportunities and innovative care.
• Post-surgical rehabilitation is crucial: PPPs are also essential for improving access to post-surgical rehabilitation services, often overlooked in healthcare systems.

Governance, financing, and partnerships for immunisation

The third session focused on the role of PPPs in immunisation services. Speakers highlighted the importance of private sector involvement in expanding vaccination coverage and addressing challenges in financing, data reporting, and regulation. They noted that:

• Private providers can increase coverage: Private providers can play a significant role in increasing vaccination coverage, particularly in underserved communities.
• Financing and regulation are key: Effective PPPs in immunisation require robust financing mechanisms, clear regulatory frameworks, and reliable data reporting systems.
• Partnerships are essential: Successful PPPs in immunization require strong partnerships between public and private stakeholders, including NGOs and international organizations.

Equitable access to specialist services: Mental health, child health, and tuberculosis