Troubled partnerships in healthcare sector
Markets and partnerships can be effective only when there are strong and enforceable regulations, meaningful competition, and an informed consumer base. These are rare in rural India. With less than one per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) invested in public healthcare provision, India is currently one of the world's most privatised health economies. It is a country which is home to one-fifth of the world's diseases, where the regular level of malnourished children is higher than that of sub-Saharan Africa, and with higher rates of anaemia and maternal under-nourishment. The buzzwords inscribed into current government policy, includi ng the Eleventh Five Year Plan, are Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)