Public-Private-Partnership for Effective and Efficient Service Delivery in Nigeria: A Study of Ebonyi State Health Sector

Abstract

Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) has become a common issue of discourse among individuals, groups and governments. This study which discussed how PPP can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery in Ebonyi state health sector specifically sought to ascertain the extent to which people can access qualitative health services in Ebonyi state and ascertain the nature of relationship between the public and private in the health sector under the PPP arrangement in Ebonyi state. One alternate hypothesis was formulated while a theory of “Neo Liberalism” was adopted as the theoretical framework. The study used survey design whereby data were collected from the sample considered to be the representative of the population. Data collected were presented in tables containing frequencies of the responses and their corresponding percentages. The hypothesis of the study was tested using chi-square (X²) statistical tool and the result of the analyses revealed that: Ebonyi state government has actually disbursed a substantial amount of money under the PPP arrangement to six missionary hospitals in the state which has positively resulted in improved health services like immunization; reduction in maternal mortality and morbidity, among others. The implication of the foregoing is that; PPP will stimulate a greater state of development in all sectors since funding and evaluation are more efficiently executed. The study concluded that; Public-Private-Partnership remains one of the “special purpose vehicle” available to the Ebonyi state government to revive the comatose public corporations and utilities, expand the installed capacity of the existing ones and embark on the development of new public infrastructures, with the aim of delivering quality public goods and services of global standard and therefore made the following recommendations: Ebonyi state government should extend the provisions of the most accessible, qualitative and cost-effective health care and other services by going into partnership with the private in all the sectors and in the management of the health centres in the thirteen (13) General Hospitals spread across the thirteen (13) local government areas in the state, among others.

Key Words: Public, Private, Partnership, Effective, Efficient, Service Delivery, Nigeria, Ebonyi State, Health Sector.