How CSR can improve India's healthcare ?

Even after 72 years of India’s Independence, inequality in access to healthcare facility for all is a crippling issue. Around 70% of India’s rural population has limited access to quality healthcare. Even in urban cities, the healthcare facilities are not at par to deal with the country’s burgeoning requirement. Over 63 million people in India are pushed to poverty every year due to healthcare costs. 

Public health is a state subject in India and the role of the central govt is to complement the efforts of the states by ensuring a robust policy framework for the state to implement. However, India’s spending on healthcare is estimated to be around 1.5% of the GDP which in comparison to other countries is significantly low. Although life expectancy has increased substantially over the years, we still lag in implementing proper policies to solve issues like maternal mortality and infant mortality rate.

With the advent of privatisation, the quality of medical facilities has increased to a greater extent. Private hospitals are capacitated enough to provide excellent care and medical amenities but they are beyond the reach of most people. Though some private hospitals are affordable they are overcrowded and lack responsiveness.

To achieve desirable results of good health and well-being and achieve universal access to good quality healthcare services, preventive and promotive health care orientation in all developmental policies is needed. However, expecting the govt to solve all issues  is not the solution.  The private sector can also play a major role to support healthcare through their 2% CSR mandate. In recent years, Corporates are majorly spending into healthcare. According to a report published by KPMG, Indian companies spent Rs 1641 crore in the year 2018 towards health care. However, much of the spends were focussed on health camps, building infrastructure or donation to hospitals to keep it functioning. 

Given the current issues India’s medical care is suffering and corporates can do a lot through CSR activities around healthcare. There is an urgent need to shift focus on primary care than improving tertiary care. Here the pharmacies in the interior of the country could be trained to provide medicines for common health problems. Basic diagnostics for blood pressure, diabetics etc can be provided with affordable and efficient health service.

Corporates run many hospitals under their name and have access to greater resources. This advantage can be utilized by providing incentives to doctors to spend their time in rural or remote areas. Further, considering the shortage of well-trained doctors corporates can subsidize medical education in forms of scholarships for deserving students. Corporates can also partner with existing medical colleges for expansion of facilities, upgrading teaching patterns, providing access to medical literature etc.

Another solution to improve the healthcare scenario is to promote health insurance, especially for the poor and underserved communities. Companies can partner with pharma companies to enable distribution of relatively cheaper medicines and provide them health insurance facility. Major CSR intervention in the health sector focuses on promoting health check-up camp whereas there is also a need to emphasise on measuring the outcome of these health checkups on the community and follow up on further treatments.

We are equipped with the necessary resources to fulfil the sustainable development goal of good health and well being. All we need is the right place and channel to implement them. We hope to do it soon enough. 

About Fiinovation Company

Fiinovation (Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd.), is a global CSR consulting firm operating in multiple disciplines of the social development sector. It’s emphasises on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability initiatives/programmes.

Fiinovation started its journey in the year 2008 under the guidance of Mr. Soumitro Chakraborty (Fiinovation CEO). Over the past 8 years, it has grown leaps in every aspect of operations in the social sector. Fiinovation has also been successful in bridging the gap between businesses and communities through value based CSR Projects in India by engaging with various corporations and credible NGOs in the field of health, environment, education, livelihood& skills.

Fiinovation Contact - 24/30, Ground Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate Phase 3 Rd, New Delhi, Delhi 110020.

Fiinovation and Newgen Software Partner for a Digital Education Program in Delhi

Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt Ltd (Fiinovation) recently partnered with Newgen Software Technologies Ltd for evaluation of Newgen's Digital Discovery Paathshala (NDDP) program running in three Delhi schools, i.e. Government Girls Senior Secondary School (Harkesh Nagar), Soami Nagar Model School (Soami Nagar) and Government Girls Senior Secondary School (Tekhand) and catering to 3000+ girl students.

The project aims at generating interest among students especially girls towards digital literacy by using the latest technology. The use of digital technology equips the students with skill-set to seek knowledge, discover new horizons and enables them to be independent, self-reliant and confident.

As a part of the association, Fiinovation has assessed the on-ground implementation of the project and the impact it created in empowering the students through digital aid. The NDDP program has created an extensive impact in the lives of the beneficiaries by deploying innovative pedagogy, addressing the lack of infrastructural facilities and efficient facilitation.

"India is at a nascent stage when it comes to digital education compared to other developed countries. If we intend to keep pace with the growing technology and take advantage of the potential benefits of digital learning, then we need to appropriately resource our teachers and students". He further said that, "I highly appreciate the efforts by our partners towards digital empowerment of students and contribution towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of Quality Education and Gender Equality", said Dr Soumitro Chakraborty, CEO, Fiinovation.

Fiinovation Company Partnered with Arohan Financial Services Limited For Six CSR projects.

Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd (Fiinovation) recently partnered with Arohan Financial Services Limited, leading financial-inclusion focused NBFC-MFI, for the impact assessment of six CSR projects undertaken by Arohan in the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam and Uttar Pradesh. The projects aim at elevating the socio-economic condition of the marginalized communities in the targeted regions. The projects are meticulously designed and focused at generating awareness about primary healthcare, improving the quality and quantity of drinking water, offering scholarships to female students, generating livelihood opportunities through skill development, improving school infrastructure, and offering disaster relief in the flood-affected areas.

Talking about the association, Dr Soumitro Chakraborty, CEO of Fiinovation said, “We’re excited to associate with Arohan and be their partners in the shared interest and passion towards serving the underserved and contribute towards the social sector”. As part of the partnership, Fiinovation has conducted a detailed evaluation of the CSR projects and its on-ground implementation. Fiinovation CEO further said, “The projects are exemplary example of how corporations can make CSR an integral part of their business model and share the responsibility along with the government and civil society organizations, and concentrate efforts to address various social issues and effect sustainable change”. It has been observed, through the assessment that, the local community has witnessed an overall improvement in the health conditions due to increased access to healthcare services and cleans drinking water which has been provisioned through installations of RO plants. Multiple awareness driveson WASH components within the community were conducted and trainings were given about employing mechanisms for groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting.

In accordance with government of India’s Skill India Mission, inspirational candidates from the underprivileged sections of the society were trained under skill development programmes. These programmes are categorically designed to create livelihood generation and employment opportunities. Understanding the importance of the role that education plays in uplifting the socio-economic condition of a community, the programme has contributed significantly towards developing the infrastructure of the schools in the targeted areas. Scholarships offered to the girls of the underprivileged section of the community have resulted in reduced number of school dropouts and decline in child marriages. The initiative has also extended help to the flood-affected community by providing basic food relief.

How CSR can help in preserving national heritage in India ?

Climate change, global warming, and other natural disturbance have started to affect the historical masterpiece across the world. Though many developed countries take the best conservation measure and restoration of their art and culture, developing countries like India lack funds and willpower to carry out this exercise. While the social and cultural benefits of heritage conservation are important, many communities have discovered that their heritage resources are also valuable economic assets. Investing in the preservation, rehabilitation and ongoing use of heritage buildings and other historic places has economic benefits for both individuals and communities. Heritage conservation can lead to higher property values and increased tax revenue, job creation, revitalized neighbourhood and economic growth. The CSR framework has recently been systematized and structured by the Government wherein a company is required to invest 2% of Net profits towards CSR on projects for 3 years in a particular financial year.

However, CSR is one of the many tools that the private sector can utilize to conserve India’s Heritage.

The Ministry of Tourism in 2017 recognised the potential of a collaborative approach and launched the Adopt a Heritage Program, inviting the corporate sector across the country to identify and commit towards developing a heritage site and various Public Private Partnership made a holistic approach towards developing heritage site by luring international and domestic tourism to outreach activities that enable sensitization about the site.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ministry of Culture maintains and regulates the monuments, heritage and archaeological sites of national importance as per the AMASR Act 1958. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also taken a giant leap towards this. Companies like ONGC, NTPC, TATA group, GAIL have been assisting ASI with grants for the restoration and preservation works. ASI placed 50 monuments in the list of monuments to be protected. Taj Mahal (Agra), Humayun’s Tomb (New Delhi), Lord Jagannath Temple (Puri, Orissa) and few others are in the ambit of the 50 monuments to be restored. Coca-Cola (India) also helped in the restoration of The Sarai Bawari and Kale Hanuman Ki Bawari (Rajasthan) and creating awareness among the local community. Also, Yes Bank, with the help of its think-tank Yes Institute, organized 73 heritage walks and 50 cycle rides at Delhi’s heritage spots like Lodhi Gardens, Purana Qila, Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar and Hauz Khas as a part of their CSR activities in 2014. The bank spent Rs 29.52 crore on its CSR in 2015-16 and spent Rs 34 crore in 2017.

IT giant Infosys Ltd is also involved in restore monuments and organizing cultural shows in South India. In 2016, Infosys Foundation restored Somanatheshwara temple complex in Karnataka’s Lakshmeshwar and around Rs 5 crore were spent over last four years.

Not to forget, we have a bewildering number of monuments in India (3650 monuments in 2010) divided among 24 circles across the country. Numerous monuments have been encroached upon and need urgent attention. Sensitivity is slowly increasing, but there are a few hurdles. We need more Public-Private Partnership to save our National heritage and CSR initiatives will certainly help.

About Fiinovation Company

Fiinovation (Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd.), is a global CSR consulting firm operating in multiple disciplines of the social development sector. It’s emphasises on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability initiatives/programmes.

Fiinovation started its journey in the year 2008 under the guidance of Mr. Soumitro Chakraborty (CEO of Fiinovation). Over the past 8 years, it has grown leaps in every aspect of operations in the social sector. Fiinovation has also been successful in bridging the gap between businesses and communities through value based CSR Projects in India by engaging with various corporations and credible NGOs in the field of health, environment, education, livelihood& skills.