Many times it is hard for me to accept that the private sector can ever amount to much good, that is, in comparison with the public sector. It is well known that the primary driving force for the private sector has always been one thing: money. However, the more I thought about it i thought this: what if someone has a really innovative idea--an idea than can not only benefit thousands of people, but also make a profit. Moreover, what if the private sector can effectively and efficiently get done what the private does not. For example, the public sector oftentimes knows what needs to get done, has a brilliant plan of implementation, but the problem is the actual implementation. The public has to go through multiple steps such as, appealing to federal and local governments for approval and funds. It sometimes seems the public sector has to sell themselves and jump through hoops, just to get a plan approved by a committee or a bunch of bureaucrats holding all the resources and funds that have no know nothing about public health. Enter the private sector. They're not dependent on funding from the government, they're dependent on their own investments. And, at times, the private company is filled with professional in business and health who decide what and where funds should be spent. I guess the key when you're dealing with the private is ethics. What does the private sector value most: is it money or is it making a difference in lives while simultaneously making a profit. Afterall, if a pharmaceutical drug developed an HIV vaccine and found it only amounted to having cost $0.50 per person, would it be bad if they charged $1 or even $2 for it? Yes, that is a 100% to 200% profits, but its still inexpensive enough that most in the world can afford the vaccine, and for those that cannot it is cheap enough to be government subsidized.
It's just important to not be completely reliant on the private sector. The private and public sector both have its necessary uses and an integrated approach between the two can have dramatic effects.
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3 comments:
hey jen, just wanted to add that i think the public sector can often be run down by corruption and lack of political will to affect change (which goes along w/ the bureaucracy you mentioned) whereas one of the great things about the private sector is its earnest desire to make money. it just so happens that a lot of the best money making products are things that are the most responsive to human needs...which is public sector territory, too! so it seems like ppp's have some fundamental common ground to work with, which as you said can be really powerful.
Jen, I too am dubious about private sector involvement, money does strange things. Farah also raises a good point that the public sector can be bogged down by corruption. So I guess both sides have their vices. The key is finding a way around these problems toward an effective solution. As you said, PPPs can be very powerful.
I think when there's a synergistic relationship and they are dependent upon each other vis-a-vie the public sector can create markets and opportunities (start up money etc.) for the pharmaceutical industry to create new vaccines for low income nations, which would otherwise not be an attractive market for said industry, then I think the relationship would be harmonious.
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