Healthcare Services Through Public-Private Partnership in Bangladesh

Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

Public-Private Partnership Healthcare Service is an almost new practice in Bangladesh. Till now, in Bangladesh, almost everywhere, both public and private hospitals are providing healthcare services separately. Recently in a few hospitals and in particular cases, PPP healthcare services have been started like the Kidney Hemodialysis Centre in the National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology, Dhaka, and Chattogram Medical College Hospital. But all over the world, the PPP system is being adopted increasingly. It is well recognized that the Bangladesh government is trying with its full effort to improve healthcare services and now it has improved a lot. But still, it is not satisfactory. Government hospitals have some limitations such as weak health administration, lack of proper monitoring, shortage of manpower, procrastination in decision-making, mismanagement, corruption, etc. On the other hand, private hospitals have ill reputations for making excess profit, exploiting patients, shortage of proper equipment and skilled manpower, and so on. In such a situation, PPP healthcare is a system in which the private partner delivers services while the government agencies assist and monitor their activities. So if we can provide health services or run a hospital through PPP, the irregularity will be lessened and services will be more prompt and effective. Under these circumstances, this study tries to identify the prospect and challenges of PPP healthcare services at the upazila level in Bangladesh.