Partnership and collaboration in healthcare delivery in Ghana

Abstract

The quest of most state or governments to adequately cater for the healthcare needs of its people continue to be a difficult task since many states have experienced, and continue to experience, a reduction in allocation of resources to the health sector. The involvement of the private sector in health care delivery is an option being explored by a number of states to augment resources in the health sector with some partnerships between the public and the private healthcare facilities in the fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. However, not many empirical studies have been conducted to identify and better understand these partnerships between the state agencies and the private sector in Ghana. This study, therefore, sought to answer questions on the range of partnership and collaborative activities existing between public and private healthcare institutions in Ghana, the need for these collaborations and the factors that hinder these collaborations in Ghana. The study adopted the stakeholder theory as various stakeholders come together to ensure the delivery of healthcare in Ghana. The study revealed that there was no direct partnership between these two groups. They, however, collaborated in some instances under the umbrella of their governing organization. The perceived need for collaboration that was identified under the study was for the protection of human lives. The study concluded that this collaboration is necessary to ensure an efficient healthcare delivery.