166 PNG Med J 2009 Sep-Dec;52(3-4): Public-private partnerships for health – what does the evidence say? JANE THOMASON 1 AND ANNA RODNEY 2 School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia and JTA International, Brisbane, Australia SUMMARY This paper provides an overview of the literature regarding public-private partnerships (PPPs) by examining several case studies from around the world and documenting the lessons learned across different PPP models. In addition, it focuses on experience in the facilitation of two PPPs between the public and private sectors in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and discusses the potential benefits that may be delivered to PNG communities through pursuing further such PPPs for health. Introduction Public-private partnerships (PPPs) refer to a wide variety of ventures involving diverse arrangements, from small, single-product collaborations with industry to large entities hosted in United Nations agencies or private not-for-profit organizations (1). Definitions of PPPs tend to vary based on the objectives, ideology, scope, composition, funding mechanism and structure of the partnership. The Global Health Initiative (GHI) defines a PPP as a voluntary collaboration that builds upon the strengths of each partner, optimizing equitable resource contribution and allocation to achieve a shared agenda which produces sustainable results for the benefit of all involved (2). The Initiative on Public-Private Partnerships for Health (IPPPH) was created to study PPPs for health. It identifies two main types of PPP: those with a product development focus, and those which focus on improving access to health services. The IPPPH concluded that PPPs for health “provide significant benefits with very few side effects, particularly in the case of tropical diseases” (3). PPPs may be classified into four major categories: 1. Global health initiatives: generally originate in developed countries with the aim of improving health conditions around the world, often with a focus on poor and developing nations (4,5). 2. Privately financed public sector projects: most commonly in developed nations including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK) and many European countries (6,7). 3. Local, national or regional partnerships led by public or civil society: operate around the world, with the Community Care Network (CCN) in the United States (US) being an example of such a partnership (8,9). 4. Industry partnerships: most common in developing countries, especially in the African region, with many multinational corporations, national industrial enterprises and small to medium-sized enterprises entering into health-related PPPs in the last few years in a wide range of sectors – including mining, oil and gas, agriculture, food and beverage (10,11). 1 School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia Current address: JTA International, PO Box 1874, Milton, Queensland 4064, Australia 2 Public Health and Research Coordinator, JTA International, PO Box 1874, Milton, Queensland 4064, Australia 166-178