- Shiv Charan Mathur
Vibrancy in the practice of a discipline draws curiosity of its practitioners, more so in a field like Public Health where stakeholders are many and multiplying fast!
It is to understand the dynamics of public-private-partnership (P-P-P) in primary health care, I attended the "Health Summit 2015" organized in a five-star hotel of state';s capital last week. Executives from well known brands like Philips and Vodafone discoursed on ';access and affordability';. Chains like Fortis and Manipal in the open market-place displayed glossy posters and distributed pamphlets of services provided by them. Honorable Minister was taken around the displays like a laboratory-on-a-mobike providing more than 70 investigations at any stop!
We were informed that out of more than 2,000 Primary Health Centers of Rajasthan, around 90 (overheard that in first instance 30 only!), have been handed over to WISH which seems to be a new private partner with Government of Rajasthan. Many in the audience were expecting from the private players - who solely controlled the dais throughout the day - to provide transparency to the transactions transpired so far. But they seem to be adding excitement to the game!
Going in the history of P-P-P, private player have joined the health field only when they could elicit the cost from the government. How far these new giants arriving on the carpet of Health sector would dole out from their corporate social responsibility is a matter which health activist might be vigilant to watch. Speculation is rife that budget allocated to health facility will be transferred to private players who in turn would add to the quality and effectiveness of the service delivery from the public facilities. How these facilities would be driven will be the matter to be included in the memorandum of understanding between public and private systems. Since the entrepreneurship of private players has a great potential, with increasing infra-structure of the state, no wonder if we can find something like a drive-in outlet of McDonald in a public health facility within a couple of years. Let it happen and accept it only if it is preceded by universalizing the access to affordable primary health care in a state where so far human development is a matter of concern.
More on WISH
- http://www.wishfoundationindia.org/scale/rajasthan#sthash.IIDrIA6v.dpufWadhwani Initiative for Sustainable Healthcare (WISH) and State Institute of Health & Family Welfare (SIHFW) through a joint- program State Consortium for Accelerating, Leveraging &Economizing Innovative Approaches in Healthcare in Rajasthan (SCALE Rajasthan) working to strengthen, expand and optimize existing interventions of the state government in Rajasthan by addressing its priority healthcare needs using evidence-based, equitable, innovation-led, low cost healthcare delivery strategies..Currently SCALE Rajasthan partners are:
- Narayana Health (NH)
- Karuna Trust
- SRL Diagnostics
- Save the Children
- IIHMR Jaipur
- Access Health/Max Institute of Healthcare Management
- Micronutrient Initiative
One Panel Moderated by Soumitro Ghosh, CEO, WISH Foundation
Distinguished Panellist
1. Mr. Dave Richards, Managing Director, UNITUS Seed Fund
2. Dr H. Sudarshan, Secretary, Karuna Trust, Karnataka
3. Ms Nancy Godfrey Health Office director, USAID/India
4. Mr. Naveen Jain, Special Secretary, National Health Mission, Government of Rajasthan
5. Dr Pavitra Mohan, Founder, Basic Health Trust, Udaipur
6. Dr. Renu Swarup, Senior Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, and Managing Director, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council
7. Dr Sanjeev Chaudhry, Managing Director, SRL Limited
1. Mr. Dave Richards, Managing Director, UNITUS Seed Fund
2. Dr H. Sudarshan, Secretary, Karuna Trust, Karnataka
3. Ms Nancy Godfrey Health Office director, USAID/India
4. Mr. Naveen Jain, Special Secretary, National Health Mission, Government of Rajasthan
5. Dr Pavitra Mohan, Founder, Basic Health Trust, Udaipur
6. Dr. Renu Swarup, Senior Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, and Managing Director, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council
7. Dr Sanjeev Chaudhry, Managing Director, SRL Limited
- The new model of service delivery will have following characteristics:
- Nurse-clinician / Physician Assistant managed primary health care facilities providing comprehensive primary care to a catchment population within a maximum of one hour travel time
- Supported and supervised by a primary care physician, with one physician supporting 4-5 such facilities, using a functional transport system and an appropriate technology
- Linked to the remaining health ecosystem through an active negotiating system
- Linked to other community based social services or initiatives
- Public funded with possibly small contributions by community or users
What changes are required at the policy and program level?
Setting up such a model of service delivery will require the following changes at the policy and program level:
Government explicitly assuming the responsibility of providing primary health care
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1) Visit http://www.mfcindia.org/ for latest in mfc.
2) This group cannot send or receive attachments. If you wish to share a file on the e-forum, please click http://www.ifile.it/ log in as "mfc" with the pswrd "medico" and upload your file. Then copy-paste the link in a mail to the e-forum.
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