Need to build capacities with pvt participation: Health Secy

Stressing on the need of public-private partnership for capacity building in health, Health Secretary CK Mishra said that healthcare sector needs huge funding and public-private partnership (PPP) is the best solution as the private sector can support the government in building capacities to improve service delivery.

"It is not correct to say that the government failed to deliver in last mile health services. What we need now is to build capacities. Infrastructure is not a problem. Main challenge is how to build capacities to meet the growing demand," Mishra said, while speaking at NATHEALTH annual event on Tuesday.

The Health Secretray further said that the New Health Policy 2017 aims at universal health coverage and affordable quality health care services for all. "It envisages private sector collaboration and financial and non-financial incentives to encourage participation," he added. While admitting that there are gaps on both sides (government and industry), Mishra clearly mentioned that there was no consensus among industry people themselves on several issues. "There is a price mechanism based on well established practices and deliberations. It is also very transparent. It makes sense to have a proper price mechanism so that nobody is exploited," he added.