Gov't, private sector partner to improve healthcare

Universal access to healthcare is a challenge that both developed and developing countries face today. For developing countries with ballooning populations, changing demographics and decreasing resources allocated for health services, this challenge has become increasingly daunting.

Various stakeholders in the Philippine healthcare sector are squarely facing this challenge by looking beyond traditional state-run healthcare systems and intensifying their involvement in public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Top-level representatives of the private sector, government agencies, medical associations, and academic institutions gathered recently at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in Makati City to explore innovative ways of fast-tracking progress in healthcare delivery and research.

The roundtable discussion entitled “Public-Private Partnership Toward Healthcare for All” was convened by the AIM Policy Center in cooperation with the Department of Health and Novartis Philippines Healthcare Inc.

Presentations from Dr. Federico Macaranas (executive director of the AIM Policy Center), Alexandre Jetzer (board member of Novartis Global), and Maylene Beltran (director IV of the DOH’s Bureau of International Health Cooperation) provided perspectives on the PPP framework, global healthcare trends, and the Philippine healthcare system.

During the open forum, participants explored prospects and challenges faced by public-private partnerships in the Philippine healthcare sector.

Two key points emerged from the discussion: representatives of the private sector recognized the need to coordinate PPP efforts in the health sector, while Novartis highlighted opportunities in clinical testing and natural products research collaboration in the Philippines.

Representatives of both the government and private sector agreed to strengthen their partnership to achieve universal access to healthcare and position the Philippines as a key player in global healthcare research and development.

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For more information on the roundtable discussion and other public-private partnership initiatives for healthcare, contact Theresa Robles of the AIM Policy Center at 892-4011 local 2102.