As countries move towards achieving universal health coverage, efforts to engage all care providers have gained more significance. Over a third of people estimated to have developed TB in 2017 were not detected and notified by national TB programmes (NTPs). This gap is more pronounced in countries with large private sectors, especially those with a high burden of TB. Seven countries with large private sectors account for 63% of the world's 3.6 million missing cases: in these countries, public-private mix (PPM) is the primary strategy for finding them.
Under the umbrella of the global Working Group on Public-Private Mix (PPM) for TB Care and Prevention of the Stop TB Partnership - that is hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) Global TB Programme, countries have been provided support to enhance collaboration between NTPs and diverse public, voluntary, corporate and private health care providers for TB care in different settings. The PPM Working Group members include national TB programme managers, policy makers, representatives from the private sector, academia, field experts, international technical partners and development agencies. The WHO provides the Secretariat for the Working Group, organizes periodic global meetings of the group and leads the development and promotion of global policies, strategies and tools related to PPM expansion.
