Health System Innovation in Lesotho: Design and early operations of the Maseru Public Private Integrated Partnership

This report offers a comprehensive case study detailing the design and launch of an innovative partnership to dramatically improve delivery of healthcare in Lesotho in southern Africa.

The Lesotho public-private investment partnership (PPIP) is the first partnership of its kind in Africa, and the first in a lower-income country. It brought together the Lesotho government and a consortium of private partners to not only rebuild the national referral hospital and associated clinics in the capital city of Maseru, but also engages the private consortium to manage delivery of hospital and clinic services over an 18-year contract period.

The case study chronicles the decisions that led to the initiation of the PPIP, describes the design and contracting phases, and summarises experience and early lessons from the project, from groundbreaking through the first year of operation. The project has demonstrated an ability to dramatically improve the volume, breadth, quality and efficiency of healthcare.