Transforming Health Care in India: A Closer Look at USAID Project

Like any other developing country, India has been under the impression of poor healthcare and hygiene issues. Over the past few decades, India has been making remarkable strides in its healthcare sector. The Government has been taking all kinds of initiatives to improve public health standards nationwide. State-level programs, NGO supports, and global organization initiatives are helping India shape its healthcare landscape by implementing innovative techniques.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been a great help throughout this journey. According to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reports, India is predicted to grow its healthcare sector at a rate of 16.0%  by 2026, making it one of the largest sectors in the country. This growth would largely be driven by the growth in medical tourism, healthcare IT, increasing facilities covering more geographic areas, etc. 

While public expenditure only contributes 25% to healthcare, about 75% of the support comes from other sources. One great help is coming from USAID projects in India. USAID missions are active in over 80 countries and run its programs in over 100 countries. As a major partner, India benefits from various technical areas like health, agriculture, education, human rights, water, sanitation, etc.

India’s Health Care Landscape and USAID partnership

India is improving in various health parameters like immunization, life expectancy, mortality rates, etc. Despite being a largely populated country, its healthcare sector has achieved many significant milestones. India has successfully eradicated polio, guinea worm disease, and smallpox. When it comes to availing of generic medicines, India has emerged as one of the largest providers in the world. India being a USAID Grant program partner, the agency uses blended finance to leverage funding for improving health outcomes in India by partnering with India’s National Health Authority. Here are some USAID projects in India for you to know:

• Community-Led monitoring

The Community-Led monitoring activity is a crucial USAID project in India as a USAID Grant program partner operating in Telangana, Maharashtra and Delhi. It focuses on offering the quality of implementing HIV services and outcomes. 

It would demonstrate that community monitoring activity can be productive, respectful, collaborative and solutions-oriented.

• SAMAGRA

The Government of India and local and private sector stakeholders have partnered with USAID for the SAMAGRA project till 2025. It focuses on building a responsive, affordable, and equitable urban health ecosystem in India.

• Momentum- Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity (M- RITE)

The M-RITE project of USAID focuses on ensuring all people receive high-quality vaccination services in India. It helps in protecting citizens and their children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

• Project Epic

Project Epic is one of the key USAID projects in India, as it helps with obtaining goals and maintaining epidemic control in the country. It focuses on improving local key populations-led community-based organizations, so people can get self-resilient to sustain engagement in various disease monitoring, responding and managing by system strengthening and implementing innovative financing.

• Partnership for Affordable Health Access and Longevity (PAHAL)

As mentioned above, 75% of the support for healthcare improvement in India comes from other sources; the private sector is one of their major key sources. However, they need capital to expand but don’t get sufficient capital because of high collateral requirements. This is where PAHAL has enabled India to support this healthcare sector’s growth and meet the needs of low-income recipients. 

This is one of the key USAID projects in India that helps private healthcare businesses expand their services in rural and urban areas. Small and medium-sized enterprise sector healthcare businesses can access partial-credit loan portfolio guarantees from a non-bank financial institution through Development Credit Authority. So, they can take up to $10 million in loans.

With the USAID/India partnership, not just the developing country’s healthcare sector is shaping for the better, but USAID’s goal to bring sustainability to the world is helping the developing India transform sustainably. All of its projects help with clean energy, the environment, climate challenges, open and inclusive digital ecosystems, health issues and inclusive economic growth and the COVID-19 response in India. 

Since India is now a major global leading power and a major U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific world, it can be expected that most USAID projects and initiatives are going to transform India’s healthcare landscape.