The National Health Authority (NHA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi). Through this partnership, NHA will be a technical collaborator on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-supported SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Financing Facility. IIT Delhi serves as the hosting entity for SAMRIDH. This initiative is implemented by a Technical Support Unit, managed by IPE Global.
SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Financing Facility aims to catalyse marketplace-based well being options to enhance access to economical and excellent healthcare services for low-earnings and vulnerable communities, especially for Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) beneficiaries. SAMRIDH has mobilised a capital pool of $one hundred+ million from private sector and development funders. It leverages this fund to provide each grant and debt financing provision to healthcare enterprises and innovators.
Through this partnership, NHA and IIT Delhi will assistance revolutionary options to address the requires and priorities of the AB PM-JAY ecosystem. This collaboration will be critical to assistance speedy scaling and absorption of well being innovations across more than 23,000 PM-JAY empanelled hospitals. The innovations supported by way of the SAMIRDH Facility will enhance the well being infrastructure, create capacity of healthcare providers, and create powerful COVID-19 mitigation – all in the pursuit to accomplish ‘health for all’ in India.
Commenting on the collaboration, Dr R.S. Sharma, CEO, National Health Authority, stated, “It is our pleasure to collaborate with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi on SAMRIDH Facility. Through this partnership we will work with diverse health sector players to scale high potential health solutions and amplify the impact of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY. I am extremely confident that in years to come, this partnership will be a key enabler in making quality healthcare services in India more accessible and affordable.”
Prof V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi stated, “We welcome this opportunity to work with the NHA to deconstruct the key challenges in delivering healthcare services across PM-JAY empanelled health facilities, and support enterprises in addressing the gaps with indigenous innovations. SAMRIDH will provide a platform to facilitate affordable capital for scaling up of commercially viable innovations. The facility will also extend mentorship to enterprises from clinical, technology and business experts.”
Highlighting on the significance of this collaboration, Veena Reddy, Mission Director, USAID/India stated: “The success of this initiative is rooted in partners that are committed to promoting the health and well-being of vulnerable populations. USAID welcomes NHA and IIT-Delhi’s collaboration on the SAMRIDH initiative to address the pandemic and future health crises. Their combined network and expertise will use high impact market-based solutions to bring healthcare services to the most vulnerable.”