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Mar 31, 2025
By the Philips Foundation team
Over the past 10 years, Philips Foundation has been on a mission to improve access to quality healthcare for underserved communities through meaningful innovation. Since its establishment in 2014, the Foundation has launched over 300 initiatives. Coupled with recent investments in social enterprise, the Foundation’s impact has grown both broad and deep.
A focus on non-communicable diseases in India In India, Philips Foundation is concentrating on preventive healthcare, early detection diagnostic solutions, and health education to help reduce the growing burden of disease. These efforts are crucial in addressing the prevalence and mortality of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease – particularly among underserved populations with limited access to regular screenings and ongoing care. Over the past few decades, NCDs have become a major public health challenge in India, with the proportion of deaths due to NCDs rising from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016 [1]. One key factor contributing to high NCD-related mortality rates is the regional disparity in healthcare provision, and associated low utilization of primary care services, in rural areas [2]. Urban areas in India are equipped with advanced hospitals and specialists, while rural regions often lack basic healthcare facilities. Around 65% of India’s population resides in rural areas, yet only 25% of the country’s healthcare infrastructure serves these regions [3], leading to delayed or inadequate treatment. Additionally, a large portion of India’s population lives below the poverty line, making out-of-pocket healthcare expenses a significant burden.
Providing mHealth tools to combat childhood pneumonia A good example of Philips Foundation’s work in empowering local workers in India is a two-year project in collaboration with Save the Children India, the social enterprise ZMQ Development, and Philips India CSR. The project focuses on developing low-cost innovative approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of childhood pneumonia – one of the biggest killers among children in underserved settings worldwide [4]. The project implemented digital mHealth applications to target community members, frontline health workers, and staff nurses. Key interventions included a social behavior change tool aimed at increased community awareness of pneumonia and use of the Children’s Automated Respiration Monitor (ChARM) device for early diagnosis.
At Philips Foundation, we are leveraging innovative technology – from portable diagnostics to AI-driven tools and telehealth – to empower local healthcare workers. Through meaningful innovation, we are ensuring quality healthcare reaches those who need it most.
Sharad Kumar
Head of Legal, Philips Indian Subcontinent
The pneumonia project achieved remarkable results, reaching around 110,000 children and reducing infection rates of children with symptoms of Acute Respiratory Infection from 18.3% to 6.7%. Implemented across 45 urban wards in Rajasthan and two rural blocks in Uttar Pradesh, the project delivered high-quality pneumonia care to children under the age of five. Additionally, the percentage of households with knowledge of signs of childhood pneumonia increased from 34% at baseline to 75%. “What we see is that through the tools, health workers not only become digitally empowered, but it also gives them a new face and role in the communities. They report that the tools give them more confidence and make them more trusted in counseling, both towards families and community groups. The standard protocols provided make it easier for them to register, classify, assess, and refer cases consistently. We already see that the perceived improvement in quality-of-care results in an increasing demand for their services,” said Dr. OP Singh, who oversaw the project as Head of Health & Nutrition at Save the Children India. The project also promises to inform future initiatives worldwide, with the Foundation setting up a new venture that extends the use of ChARM, with a mission to reduce annual childhood pneumonia mortality worldwide. Strengthening cardiovascular disease management Using learnings from a project in Kenya, Philips Foundation is teaming up with NCD Alliances India to roll out a cardiovascular disease care model in India. The model will use tele-electrocardiogram (ECG) and point-of-care (PoC) ultrasound technologies.
Through this project, we will offer 480,000 people access to screening and treatment pathways and 43,200 individuals will undergo population-based screening and early detection of cardiovascular diseases. By introducing Tele-ECG and point-of-care ultrasound devices in remote and poorer areas, we will not only expedite early diagnosis but also enhance timely access to lifesaving cardiac care, provide better doctor-patient connectivity, and promote better care and management of CVDs. Working in collaboration with three hospitals in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, the project will offer screening and treatment pathways to a large population. Ready for the next decade Looking ahead, Philips Foundation plans to expand its investment portfolio in India, strengthening its commitment to innovative healthcare solutions. In this way, the Foundation will support social entrepreneurs that complement existing healthcare systems by providing early-stage and situation-specific investment. With many new initiatives in the pipeline, the next decade holds immense potential to close healthcare gaps, improve access, and elevate the standard of care for millions. Margot Cooijmans, Director of the Philips Foundation, concludes, “Building on the success of the past ten years, Philips Foundation is ready for its next decade. But we cannot do it alone. At the heart of this endeavor are Philips employees and our partners, whose dedication has a powerful impact on healthcare systems and the communities they serve – both in India and around the world. Thank you for your unwavering support.”
The challenge is immense, but so is the opportunity.
Let's take them on together.
--- [1] Health and Policy Planning (2023). A comprehensive examination of the economic impact of out-of-pocket health expenditures in India
[2] International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2022). Research on disparities in primary health care in rural versus urban areas: select perspectives
[3] eHealth Network (2024). Universal Health Coverage Day: Bridging the urban-rural gap in India’s healthcare
[4] UNICEF (2024). Pneumonia in children: What you need to know
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