Three Essays On Public Private Partnerships And Population Health PDF Download

This dissertation consists of three essays. The first essay explores the determinants of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in developing countries, focusing on the International Development Association (IDA) status of a country. While IDA status is negatively associated with PPPs, GDP per capita, economic growth, market size and inflation are all positively related with them. While, volatile exchange rates discourage risk-averse investors, economic freedom and foreign aid encourage them to participate in PPPs. As opposed to crisis-ridden countries, fuel exporting countries are less inclined toward PPPs. Finally, although the years of PPP experience initially attract more PPPs, further experiences are proving to be frustrating and discouraging of future PPPs. Overall, the findings suggest that PPPs are being used to conceal public borrowing while in effect providing a long-term state guarantee of corporate profits. The second paper investigates the factors contributing to the success of PPP projects in the South Asian region (SAR), with a focus on project and contract attributes. Results suggest that projects in the information and communication technology sector and transport sector are at greater risks of failure than in the energy sector is, and that a greater share of risks and responsibilities borne by the private sector will positively affect project outcomes. As expected, price instability reduces the likelihood of success, while development assistance increases it. In terms of achieving success, small projects are more effective than large ones, and local governments are found to be more efficient than national governments. Finally, the results demonstrate that effectively balancing quality regulation and investment freedom is instrumental to PPP success. Using a panel data on SAR over the period 1972-2017, the third essay addresses the research question: "Does improved health help to catalyse economic growth?" The findings reveal that life expectancy and other health indicators are positively associated with economic growth. Accordingly, relevant macroeconomic variables, such as investments, foster economic growth directly and also indirectly by promoting improvements in health outcomes in South Asian countries.