How CSR Funding Can Improve Access to Heart Care for Children in India

With over 2,00,000- 2,50,000 children born with congenital heart defects (CHDs) in India, and one-fifth of these children needing immediate intervention, it is imperative to support children through a variety of interventions. CSR fund donation should aim to finance a practical pipeline for child heart care: early screening, diagnosis, transport, surgery, and follow-up. Under Schedule VII of India’s Companies Act, CSR for child health can support healthcare, including preventive healthcare, making pediatric cardiac programs an eligible and strategic CSR priority.

Focusing on rural and urban settings, there is not just a lack of access to timely care at a hospital, but limited resources account for an exacerbation of health disparities that contribute to increasing CHDs within children. There are minimal areas that conduct echocardiography and pulse-oximetry newborn screening. There is also a lack of consistent imaging present within rural and urban settings. Additionally, pediatric cardiac surgeries are predominantly performed in large settings. Therefore, there is an infrastructure gap to provide care to children that need immediate surgeries. Adding to these geographical disparities, families may face significant financial burdens when traveling to receive proper care for their children, further complicating children’s heart health. With only 130 pediatric cardiologists and shortages in rural and suburban settings, there is a push to support education overall. Children must receive quality care from fetus to lifelong support: whether it’s screening, access to pediatric cardiologists or gynecologists trained to detect CHDs, transport, proper intervention (surgery or catheter-based procedures), or consistent follow-up throughout their lifetime.

CSR funding in India is legally required to serve societal welfare and support philanthropy under Section 135 and Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013. Activities include but are not limited to funding preventive healthcare, educational support, advocating gender equality, and more. Therefore, CSR for child health care can concretely support and streamline health spending, reducing overspending on unnecessary healthcare expenses. Because children’s heart health requires fundamental funding support, CSR funding can work closely with philanthropic organizations, such as Genesis Foundation to promote overall child health.

Specifically, CSR funding can reduce access-related barriers in many areas. CSR funding can provide educational training for community-based screening in underserved areas, such as providing more pulse oximetry machines to strengthen newborn screening at birth. Additionally, CSR funding should train social workers and primary care providers to conduct echocardiography during health visits in rural areas. This will address the pediatric cardiology workforce shortage and strengthen early detection. To further address the workforce shortage, CSR funding should value increased training for the pediatric cardiology team to standardize care across high-capacity urban and rural centers. In addition, CSR funding ought to subsidize treatment options, including but not limited to pediatric cardiac surgeries, ICU follow-up care, catheter interventions, and necessary implants or devices. This will incentivize low-income families to access the care their child needs, ensuring there is sustainable aid that can minimize morbidity related to CHDs. To improve access to treatment, low-income health status can be evaluated, and full care journeys can be effectively sponsored. Using surveys and a shared relationship between CSR funding and nonprofit organizations, funding can be directed and personalized for each family as needed. Through accountability measures, such as a log of screened children, procedures conducted, and evaluations of cost reductions for families, funding can be guided toward need-based support, reducing CHD disparities overall.

Although government-based funding may compete with CSR funding, CSR fund donation can address gaps where government funding is not sufficient, such as increasing screening, transportation access, longitudinal care, and improved health equity. Overall, CSR funding can be a valuable source for supporting children’s heart health, urging philanthropic communities that support child healthcare to make pediatric cardiology their top priority. Children should not be limited by geography or financial status in receiving the adequate care they need.

How Genesis Foundation Helps Companies Make a Difference

For companies looking to make a meaningful contribution to children’s heart health, partnerships with organisations such as Genesis Foundation can provide a practical way to direct CSR support for children who need specialised cardiac treatment. By helping eligible children from underprivileged backgrounds access life-saving medical interventions, such partnerships can address financial barriers that might otherwise delay or prevent treatment. Corporate support can help more families navigate the treatment journey, turning CSR commitments into tangible healthcare outcomes and giving children an opportunity to lead healthier lives.

CSR Support for Children at Genesis Foundation

Whether your company is exploring its first CSR partnership with an NGO or deepening an existing commitment, Genesis Foundation offers transparency, expertise, and human urgency that makes giving meaningful. Your CSR support for children at NGO like Genesis Foundation does not just fulfil a mandate. It funds a heartbeat.

To know more about us to provide CSR fund donations, drop an e-mail at contactus@genesis-foundation.net.

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