Public-private partnerships for universal health coverage? The future of "free health" in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka reports impressive health indicators compared to its peers in the South Asian region. Maternal and infant mortality are relatively low, and several intractable communicable diseases have been eliminated. The publicly financed and delivered "free" healthcare system has been critic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Globalization and health 2019-11, Vol.15 (Suppl 1), p.75-75, Article 75
Main Author: Kumar, Ramya
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
2018 AD
Communicable diseases
Delivery of Health Care - economics
Departments
Expenditures
Family physicians
Forecasting
Health care
Health care policy
Health care reform
Health facilities
Health insurance
Health Policy
Health reform
Health services
Health systems
Healthcare access
Healthcare privatization
Human resources
Humans
Infant mortality
Infants
Liberalization
Malaria
Maternal and infant welfare
Maternal mortality
Medical supplies
National health insurance
Outpatient care facilities
Partnerships
Pediatric communicable diseases
Public private partnerships
Public-private sector cooperation
Public-Private Sector Partnerships
Social justice
Sri Lanka
Tax reform
Universal health coverage
Universal Health Insurance - organization & administration
Wage & price controls
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Summary:Sri Lanka reports impressive health indicators compared to its peers in the South Asian region. Maternal and infant mortality are relatively low, and several intractable communicable diseases have been eliminated. The publicly financed and delivered "free" healthcare system has been critical to these health achievements. Placing the country's healthcare system in historical context, this commentary analyses the contradictions and political tensions surrounding Sri Lanka's 2018 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) policy, with attention to the Ministry of Health's plans for public-private partnerships (PPP). As economic exigencies and private interests increasingly erode the 1951 "Free Health" policy, this commentary calls for a re-envisioning of UHC that can meet people's aspirations for health and social justice.
ISSN:1744-8603
1744-8603
DOI:10.1186/s12992-019-0522-6