Health experts and industry leaders have stressed the urgent need for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to play a larger role in addressing India’s growing healthcare challenges. With rising cases of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, experts believe that CSR funding must be channelled into large-scale awareness programmes to help people make informed health choices. At the Healthcare CSR Catalyst Stakeholders Meet 2025, leading doctors, corporate representatives, and policymakers came together to discuss how CSR can bridge critical healthcare gaps. They emphasised that while companies invest significant CSR funds in healthcare, a large portion is often spent on infrastructure, leaving health literacy and preventive care neglected. Adding to the discussion, Dr H K Chopra, Chief Cardiologist, Medanta Moolchand Heart Institute, New Delhi, warned of India's rising burden of lifestyle diseases, stating, “India is fast becoming the global capital of diabetes and hypertension. Nearly 40% of patients are hypertensive, and 90% of them have uncontrolled blood pressure. We need CSR-driven awareness campaigns to educate people about prevention and early diagnosis. A healthier nation is a stronger nation.” Padma Shri awardee Dr Mohsin Wali, Senior Consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, highlighted the severity of India's health literacy crisis, stating, “With 85% of Indians lacking basic health awareness, CSR must step in to educate communities and drive preventive care. CSR embodies the spirit of service and should focus on impactful public-private partnerships. Initiatives like Nirog Nagarpalika by HEAL Foundation can transform public health at the grassroots level.” Dr Aijaz Ilmi, Consultant Physician at Helvetia Diagnostics & Healthcare, pointed out that chronic diseases are now affecting younger populations, stating, “We are witnessing a 20-year pandemic of metabolic diseases, with conditions like obesity, fatty liver, and diabetes appearing in children as young as 10. The only way to reverse this crisis is through awareness and early intervention. CSR must prioritise school-based health programmes, community screenings, and sustainable lifestyle initiatives to prevent long-term health complications.” Experts at the event agreed that CSR must shift focus from short-term interventions to sustainable, community-driven healthcare models. Strengthening awareness, early detection, and preventive care through CSR-backed initiatives could be a game-changer in tackling India's escalating health crisis. health illiteracy in India
A report by an expert group set up by NITI Aayog report titled ‘Future Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response —A Framework for Action’ has recommended a separate legislation called Public Health Emergency Management Act, strengthening India’s research ecosystem, dedicated preparatory funds among others to handle disease outbreaks and pandemics.
This report provides an action plan for a 100-day response to any outbreak or pandemic. It outlines the detailed roadmap for preparedness and implementation, indicating the steps on how the outbreak can be tracked, tested, treated and managed through a well-developed framework.
The report has also recommended a structure that integrates and strengthens all existing components and builds the required components to deliver the outputs that meet the targets of a 100-day response mission.
“A separate Public Health Emergency Management Act (PHEMA) is proposed to facilitate the management of any public health crisis. The PHEMA can address various aspects beyond epidemics, including non-communicable diseases, disasters, and bio-terrorism, and should be in place for a developed country,” it said.
It will allow a holistic approach to health management, covering prevention, control, and disaster response, the report added. The Act would also provide for the creation of skilled public health cadres at national and state levels,” it said.
The report proposed that an Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) chaired by the Cabinet Secretary be established for Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response, and a well-oiled machinery is put into action, which prepares and readies itself before any emergency. “A well-structured scorecard mechanism should regularly monitor the progress of key targets,” the report said.Among several other preventive measures, the report also noted that the regulatory authority (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) needs special powers through legislation and requires technical competence strengthening and autonomy in functioning to meet these requirements.
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