Successful PPPs are built on trust and credibility. Healthcare PPPs can be particularly useful in low- and middle-income countries, where large percentages of the public cannot afford to pay a market rate for healthcare services. However, countries like these present unique challenges for companies hoping to engage in PPPs. Low- and middle-income governments may have a limited ability to subsidize healthcare solutions. They may have undertrained human resources who lack the skills necessary to create effective partnerships. There may even be opposition within the government to public-private partnerships, particularly with regard to healthcare.
But how can we determine whether a partner is credible? Credibility should be assessed on two separate axes: commitment to solving the problem and capacity to deliver results. It is crucial to look not only for credible partner institutions, but also credible individuals within those institutions as well.