How Can Organisations Improve Healthcare Services Using CSR?

by FORTIS FOUNDATION Fortis Charitable Foundation

The healthcare sector in India is not in the best of shape. Our government is spending considerably on healthcare but the benefits are not reaching the majority. We are suffering from high maternal and infant mortality rate, and although our life expectancy has improved over the years, we are still lagging behind many countries in this regard.

As a part of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative, private organisations are spending a considerable amount on Healthcare, but the benefits are not reaching to the lowest strata of society. Maybe organisations are not investing in the right activities. To achieve fruitful results for healthcare services, organisations should use their CSR initiatives in a better way. Here are a few of them:

1. Giving impetus to primary healthcare: We tend to focus more on tertiary care, thereby neglecting primary care. Organisations can conduct workshops to train the local people so that they can provide basic medical aid to patients within their locality. They can also be trained on monitoring the blood pressure, pulse, and sugar levels of patients. This will help in establishing affordable and efficient health services at the basic level.

2. Motivating doctors to visit rural areas: Organisations can channel some of their material resources towards encouraging doctors to visit rural or remote areas that have minimal healthcare facilities.

3. Addressing the shortage of doctors: India is suffering from a poor doctor to patient ratio, due to an extreme shortage of well-trained doctors. In this regard, organisations can provide financial aid to students who want to pursue a medical career. They can help medical colleges in the enhancement of their teaching methodologies, and in providing state-of-the-art infrastructure.

4. Supporting the concept of barefoot doctors: The concept of barefoot doctors is very popular in China and we can take a leaf out of their book. It primarily involves farmers who are provided with basic medical and paramedical training, so that they can serve the local communities. As a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, organisations can be instrumental in turning farmers into barefoot doctors, by facilitating adequate training for them.

5. Fostering the use of traditional medicine: The development of traditional medicine is a responsibility of Ministry of AYUSH, where AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. Orgnisations can promote and support various initiatives of the ministry. For instance, they can celebrate Ayurveda Day and spread its message through social media.