CSR in Healthcare in India: Addressing a Crucial Need

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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in
Healthcare in India Addressing a Crucial Need
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Introduction
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become
an integral part of business ethics and
sustainable development worldwide. In India, CSR
has gained significant momentum, especially after
the introduction of the CSR mandate under the
Companies Act, 2013, As India and the global
community embrace Sustainable Development Goal 3
(SDG 3), which emphasizes good health and
well-being as essential for individuals,
communities, and nations, the focus on health
becomes even more critical. The Indian government
has also prioritized SDG 3 through initiatives
like Ayushman Bharat and the National Health
Mission which has further encouraged Indian
companies to align their CSR efforts to support
healthcare. CSR Spend on Healthcare - FY
2022-23 In line with the previous years, for
FY-2022-23, Hunger, Poverty healthcare received
INR 825 crore and were second to education which
received INR 1211 crore. (Source
Primeinfobase.com, data of 610 companies who made
voluntary disclosures)
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CSR Spend on Healthcare Comparison FY 21-22,
22-23
Even when comparing financial years healthcare as
a thematic area was second to education which
attracted 1173.75 crore in FY 22-23
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CSR Focus Areas in Healthcare
CSR initiatives in healthcare aim to bridge the
gap between the population's needs and the
available healthcare services. Corporates,
through their CSR activities, contribute to the
building of healthcare infrastructure, providing
medical supplies, running malnutrition-focused
programs supporting health education and
awareness. These efforts are crucial in
addressing immediate healthcare needs and
long-term public health issues. One of the
primary objectives of many healthcare-focused CSR
initiatives is to enhance the accessibility and
affordability of medical services. Many CSR
programs focus on rural and underserved areas,
providing free or subsidized medical camps,
mobile health clinics, and telemedicine services.
These initiatives ensure that people in remote
areas can access quality healthcare without the
burden of high costs.
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Examples Of Healthcare Focused CSR Programs
1. Apollo Tyers, HIV-AIDS Awareness Prevention
- The trucking community faces a high risk of
HIV/AIDS due to harsh working conditions,
socio-economic inequality, and various behavioral
factors. To tackle these deep-rooted issues,
Apollo Tyers launched an HIV awareness and
prevention program in 2001. This initiative
provides counseling, raises awareness through
Peer Educators, and offers testing support via
Integrated Counselling and Testing Centers
(ICTC), in collaboration with the State AIDS
Control Society (SACS). 2. SBIF Sanjeevani -
Sanjeevani is an initiative to provide primary
healthcare services at the doorstep of
communities from rural, tribal, and remote areas
through a mobile medical unit and a team of
medical professionals. Apart from primary
healthcare services the project intends to
improve the health condition of communities by
conducting regular mobile OPDs, provision of
medicines, and specialized health camps.
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Examples Of Healthcare Focused CSR Programs
3. ICICI Bank, Dialysis treatment - The ICICI
Foundation has been supplying dialysis machines
to hospitals treating kidney patients at minimal
or no cost, focusing on smaller cities. The
foundation has provided 500 dialysis machines in
16 states. These machines can enable 150,000
free-of-cost dialysis treatment sessions. 4.
Hyundai Motor India Foundations Sparsh
Sanjeevani public healthcare initiative was
envisaged to boost Indias healthcare services in
remote villages, by reaching the hinterland and
making primary healthcare accessible to the
underserved communities. Telemedicine clinics are
nurse-assisted clinics where patients are
connected through video calls with specialist
doctors, providing remote specialist
consultations in remote areas. Post consultation,
each patient is provided with medicines by the
on-ground nurse.
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Reasons Why Healthcare Has Emerged as a Preferred
Thematic Area for CSR
As a CSR consulting services firm that has
advised numerous corporates, we feel several
factors contribute to healthcare emerging as a
preferred thematic area for CSR in India
1. High Social Impact Healthcare interventions
have a direct and significant impact on people's
lives. Improving health outcomes not only
enhances the quality of life but also contributes
to economic development by reducing the burden of
disease. Companies are increasingly recognizing
the high social return on investment that
healthcare initiatives offer.
2. Government Policies and Focus The Indian
government's policies and mandates regarding CSR,
coupled with its focus on healthcare through
schemes like Ayushman Bharat, have encouraged
companies to invest in the healthcare sector. The
alignment of corporate goals with national health
priorities creates a conducive environment for
CSR activities in healthcare.
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Reasons Why Healthcare Has Emerged as a Preferred
Thematic Area for CSR
3. Addressing Critical Needs India faces
critical healthcare challenges, including high
rates of communicable and non-communicable
diseases, maternal and child health issues, and
inadequate healthcare infrastructure in rural
areas. Companies see this gap as an opportunity
to address these needs through their CSR
initiatives, thereby contributing to the nation's
development. 4. Measurable Impact Assessing the
impact of CSR programs is crucial for their
success and is also a legal reporting
requirement. As a CSR consulting firm, having
studied multiple impact assessments, we believe
that healthcare-focused interventions often yield
measurable results more easily than some other
thematic areas due to the clear and quantifiable
nature of key metrics. 5. Availability of
Implementation Partners and Expertise The
presence of experienced implementation partners
is another critical factor. Numerous NGOs
specializing in healthcare have the necessary
expertise to execute programs effectively and
demonstrate credible outcomes.
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Reasons Why Healthcare Has Emerged as a Preferred
Thematic Area for CSR
6. Corporate Brand Image Employee
Engagement Engaging in healthcare CSR enhances a
company's reputation and brand image. Consumers
and stakeholders are increasingly valuing
socially responsible businesses. By contributing
to healthcare, companies not only fulfil their
ethical compliance obligations but also build
trust and goodwill among their customers and the
community. CSR activities, especially in
healthcare, provide opportunities for employee
engagement and
volunteering. Employees take pride in working for
companies that make a positive impact on
society. 7. Strategic Alignment with Core
Business For companies in the healthcare and
pharmaceutical sectors, CSR initiatives in
healthcare are a natural extension of their core
business. These companies can leverage their
expertise, resources, and networks to make
meaningful contributions to public health.
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Reasons Why Healthcare Has Emerged as a Preferred
Thematic Area for CSR
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Challenges and the Way Forward
While CSR in healthcare has made significant
strides, several challenges remain
Sustainability Ensuring the sustainability of
healthcare initiatives is a major challenge.
Short-term projects may provide immediate relief,
but long-term impact requires sustained effort
and investment. Companies need to adopt a
strategic approach to ensure that their CSR
initiatives are sustainable and create lasting
change. Monitoring and Evaluation Effective
monitoring and evaluation of CSR initiatives are
essential to measure impact and improve outcomes.
Companies need robust frameworks to assess the
effectiveness of their healthcare projects and
make necessary adjustments. Collaboration and
Partnerships Collaboration between corporations
NGOs is crucial for the success of healthcare CSR
initiatives. Companies must select credible NGOs
with proven track record by conducting proper NGO
due Diligence. Trust between corporates and NGOs
is still an area of concern.
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Challenges and the Way Forward
Scalability Scaling successful healthcare CSR
initiatives to cover larger populations and
geographies is a challenge. Companies need to
develop scalable models that can be replicated
across different regions.
Conclusion
CSR in healthcare is playing a pivotal role in
addressing the country's healthcare challenges.
Companies are making significant contributions by
enhancing accessibility, affordability, and
quality of healthcare services. The emergence of
healthcare as a preferred thematic area for CSR
is driven by the high social impact, alignment
with government policies, and strategic benefits
for businesses. While challenges remain, the
continued commitment of corporates to healthcare
CSR holds promise for a healthier and more
equitable future for India
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Thank You
91 8506860903 contact_at_thinkcapadvisors.com www.th
inkcapadvisors.com