Developing countries face aseemingly insurmountable hurdle inproviding health care totheir rapidly growing or, insome cases, rapidly aging populations, especially as health systems become increasingly overburdened andinfections andother diseases spread. Because access tomedicine inthese regions is amultifaceted challenge, it is best tackled byseveral parties.

Lasting relationships among pharmaceutical companies, governments, nonprofit organizations andcommunity leaders are needed tohelp disadvantaged populations overcome their health care challenges. Together, these parties should take abinary approach, addressing both "hardware" factors which remain constant, such as physical distance totreatment centers andelongated supply chains and"software" factors theintangibles that vary greatly ineach region, such as therole offamily andcultural beliefs.

Through public-private partnerships, China can leverage unique strengths andbe better equipped toexpand access tohealth care.

These principles are especially true inplaces like China's rural Xinjiang province, where life expectancy is stunted at67 years, compared to73.5 forChina as awhole, andlack ofaccess tohealth care undermines well-being. Xinjiang covers nearly 1.7 million square kilometers, but it is home toonly 21 million people, many ofwhom are members ofnomadic tribes.

But thereality is that maintaining thelivelihood andwell-being ofthis area's population andthose inother rural parts ofChina is aserious challenge. Throughout rural China, thespread ofinfectious diseases particularly hepatitis B, which affects millions reflects alack ofhygiene education. TheHealth Ministry cited a9.5 percent increase indeaths caused byinfectious diseases from2011 to2012. Moreover, there is aserious shortage ofhealth care workers: just 1.3 per 1,000 rural inhabitants inChina.

Free medicines are only part ofthe solution. China needs togo beyond donations andreduced-pricing schemes tobuild sustainable health care systems with strong distribution channels andeducation programs forthe public andfor health care workers.

Through public-private partnerships, China can leverage unique strengths andbe better equipped toexpand access tohealth care. This can create asymbiotic relationship, offering benefits togovernment, business andthe local community.

Forexample, Novartis' Jian Kang Kuai Che, or "Health Express," program inXinjiang is apartnership between Novartis andthe local government that aims toexpand access tomedicine, build capacity andeducate thepublic. Health Express achieves this bytraining local physicians inprevention andtreatment ofinfectious diseases andeducating students onhealth andhygiene via atraveling caravan that moves fromschool toschool.

During arecent trip toXinjiang, I met several physicians fromrural hospitals who had received training through Health Express. They told me that inthe past, hepatitis patients had totravel forhours tobe diagnosed andtreated ata city hospital, while many others who were unable tomake thejourney suffered without treatment. Now, with physicians trained ininfectious diseases, hepatitis treatment is possible inrural areas ofXinjiang, andpatient outcomes have improved.

I also met with school children atUrumqi Dengcaogou Boarding School, which is situated ina rural area outside ofthe provincial capital. Thestudents were proud tobe able tobring their new health care knowledge back totheir families. They told me how they had told their parents toquit smoking after learning about theconsequences ofthe habit onhealth.

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Health Care's New Frontier