In India’s ongoing mission to bolster its healthcare infrastructure, public-private partnerships (PPPs) have proven essential, particularly within the National Health Mission. A recent study published in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine delves into the effectiveness of these partnerships, highlighting a long-standing and successful model pioneered by Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Mangaluru, in 1955. Partnering with Wenlock and Lady Goschen Hospitals, KMC became the first private institution in India to adopt the PPP model, using government facilities to deliver high-quality healthcare and provide training for medical students.
The research underscores the 70-year success of this collaboration, illustrating how PPPs enhance healthcare access, affordability, and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3. The study also examines the challenges and benefits of implementing PPPs in India’s diverse healthcare system, with a particular focus on their role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research team, led by Dr Bhaskaran Unnikrishnan, Dean of KMC, along with Dr Gurpur Guni Laxman Prabhu, Dr Potti Laxminarayana Gangadhara Rao, and Dr Nithin Kumar, outlines the PPP model’s impact in providing premium healthcare services across 10 districts in Karnataka and Kerala. The initiative offers free treatment from expert physicians, and the laboratories maintain NABL certification, ensuring high standards. Dr Unnikrishnan mentioned that a Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory is soon to be established at Wenlock Hospital.
The hospitals, with over 1,000 beds and a 90% occupancy rate, serve around 3,000 patients daily, providing consultations from specialists and advanced diagnostic services at no cost. Despite the success, the study identifies several challenges, such as regulatory hurdles, financial risks, operational issues, and public trust, highlighting the complexities of integrating private healthcare within public systems.
The study concludes that, despite these challenges, PPPs offer a highly effective solution to address the gaps in India’s healthcare system.
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