Investigation of Public-private Partnerships in Health Care Delivery in Nakuru District, Kenya

Abstract

Over the past decade some of the best enterprises in the world have adopted the practice of continuous improvement. Partnership sourcing has been attributed as one of the success factors of such ventures which builds on previous innovations. Global health problems require global solutions: partnerships and to some extent mergers have been formed to provide solutions to the growing list of problems. Partnership sourcing has now taken center stage in the light of the worlds biggest killer diseases, namely, tuberculosis (TB), malaria and HIV/AIDS which require joint efforts from the government and the private health service providers. Kenya has experienced sub-optimal economic performance coupled with the rising cases or T13, malaria ami IIIV/;\II)S epidemics. Poverty levels especially among the rural population have been on the rise. This has necessitated the government to explore the potential of partnering with the private sector so as to tackle some of the national health problems. One contrasting observation is the congestion levels at government health facilities by patients waiting for health care while in the private sector, the waiting rooms arc almost empty. The findings ofthis study demonstrates clearly that partnerships exist between • the public and private health care providers in Kenya, However, the levels of partnerships are low and characterized by mutual awareness. without much cross functional relationships, On the other hand. available data is indicative that the government can enter into partnership with private health providers by contracting out facilities and earn rental incomes, Private providers on the other hand can source diagnostic services and on. there is foundation of awareness or the potential benefits that would accrue from partnerships between the public and private health institutions. This awareness now needs to be translated into practice-a!functional relationships. under mutually agreed upon terms. so as to yie ld the necessary resul ts in the strengtheni ng of the national health care delivery system,