Page 21 - Banking Finance March 2025

ARTICLE

SAMRIDH:

Leveraging Blended

Finance for Quality

U Upender
Healthcare in India Chief Manager

Zonal Learning Centre
Hyderabad

India faces significant challenges in its healthcare system, primarily due to chronic underfunding.
The government allocates approximately 1.9% of its GDP to public health, starkly lower than the
global average of about 10%. This shortfall has resulted in inadequate infrastructure, a shortage
of skilled workforce, and an overreliance on overstretched public facilities.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these
challenges, pushing the healthcare system to its limits and
The Sustainable Access to Markets and Resources for
Innovative Delivery of Healthcare (SAMRIDH) initiative revealing the pressing need for sustainable healthcare
represents a transformative approach to healthcare financing solutions. Despite government and private sector efforts to
in India. Launched in response to the urgent need for improve healthcare delivery, it is estimated that India
improved access to quality healthcare, SAMRIDH employs requires an additional investment of $245 billion by 2034 to
blended finance-combining public, private, and philanthropic meet its healthcare needs, with $156 billion specifically
needed for advancing technology adoption and preventive
resources-to bridge gaps in healthcare delivery, especially for
the socioeconomically vulnerable populations. health care.

The Social Challenge: Access to Quality The Partnership: SAMRIDH Blended
Health Care Finance Facility
India faces significant challenges in its healthcare system, (SAMRIDH) is supported by the United States Agency for
primarily due to chronic underfunding. The government International Development (USAID) in collaboration with
allocates approximately 1.9% of its GDP to public health, Atal Innovation Mission & Women Entrepreneurship
starkly lower than the global average of about 10%. This Platform, NITI Aayog, Principal Scientific Advisor to the
shortfall has resulted in inadequate infrastructure, a shortage Government of India, the National Health Authority, Indian
of skilled workforce, and an overreliance on overstretched Institute of Technology, Rockefeller Foundation, Axis Bank,
public facilities. Vulnerable populations, including low-income IndusInd Bank, HDFC Bank, Caspian Debt and Centre for
and marginalized communities, often find themselves without Cellular and Molecular Platforms, and is managed by IPE
access to affordable and quality care, leading to poor health Global. Through this initiative, SAMRIDH combines
outcomes and substantial out-of-pocket expenses. commercial capital with public and philanthropic funds to

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