Helping Improve India’s Health Care Ecosystem

The government of India’s attention to Public Private Partnership (PPP) could significantly improve the entire health care ecosystem in the country, and Project HOPE is taking part in strategy sessions toward this advancement.

The National Institution for Transforming India Aayog (NITI Aayog) is a policy think-tank of the Government of India that aims to involve the states in economic policy making in India. NITI Aayog’s Health and Family Welfare division called a public and private stakeholder consultation in December to discuss policy framework on private sector engagement on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs). Attendees included representatives from multinational hospitals, companies, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, World Bank, International Finance Corporation and civil societies.

Project HOPE worked with other attendees and proposed to establish a franchise model.

The discussions for PPP design proposed the following premises:

• Designing a unique PPP framework relevant to the NCDs sector and standardized agreements.
• Establishing an independent agency responsible for managing PPPs and monitoring execution.
• Strengthening public health institutions in tier two and three cities by engaging the private sector in a co-location model.
• Receiving assistance from the government in acquiring physical space in existing district hospitals.
• Proposing a timeframe for partnership (five to seven years based on the assessment of technical and financial modeling).

The plan proposed would not require the government to invest capital on infrastructure or equipment.

NITI Aagoy aims to leverage the strength of India’s private sector to ensure quality and affordable care, getting optimal benefit out of existing resources.