Public-private partnership (PPP) is a variation of privatization in which elements of a service previously run solely by the public sector are provided through a partnership between the government and one or more private sector companies. Unlike a full privatization scheme, in which the new venture is expected to function like any other private business, the government continues to participate in some way. These schemes are sometimes referred to for short as PPP or P3. A typical example would be a hospital building financed and constructed by a private developer and then leased to the hospital authority. The private developer then acts as landlord, providing housekeeping and other non medical services while the hospital itself provides medical services.

Some examples

International

Some international health care programs may be considered public-private partnerships:

• The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization is financed per 75% (750 Mio.US$) by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has a permanent seat in the supervisory board of GAVI.

• As a UN agency, the WHO is financed through the UN system by contributions from member states. In recent years, the WHO's work has involved more collaboration with NGOs and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as with foundations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Some of these collaborations may be considered public-private partnerships; half the WHO budget is financed by private foundations.

Britain

• Portions of the London Underground (see also Metropolitan Line, Bob Kiley)
• Some National Health hospitals
• Private Finance Initiative

Canada

• The 407 ETR toll road in Toronto, Ontario
• The Royal Ottawa Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario
• The William Osler Hospital in Brampton, Ontario

United States

• Central Park, New York City

External links

• BBC News article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1518523.stm
• Industry Canada Website http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inpupr-bdpr.nsf/vwGeneratedInterE/Home