Monday, April 15, 2019:  The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United States India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to jointly address India’s tuberculosis (TB) and primary healthcare challenges. 

The newly formed partnership will facilitate member companies of USISPF to deploy CSR funds and support enterprise-driven solutions to address TB and primary healthcare challenges in India. USAID and USISPF will work together to identify innovations and models that benefit the vulnerable and marginalized population in India, and collaborate to leverage external resources for TB and primary health programs. This partnership will allow the private sector to demonstrate its expertise and offer promising solutions to address TB and primary healthcare challenges to government and other stakeholders at national and state levels.

Speaking at the event after signing the agreement, Mark Anthony White, Mission Director, USAID/India, said, “At USAID, we are undertaking a major cultural and operational transformation to expand our engagement with the private sector to achieve development outcomes because the private sector has the scale and resources to address the complexity of challenges that countries face. Today’s signing of the MOU with USISPF is yet more evidence of this new approach to enterprise-driven development. Both USAID and USISPF will bring significant technical expertise and social capital, introduce emerging technologies to health programs, and promote market-based healthcare solutions.”

Gaurav Varma, Chief Operating Officer, USISPF said, “We are excited about our relationship with USAID, and this partnership takes it to the next level. USISPF recognizes the importance of tackling this disease burden for patients in India, and this is a priority that has brought USISPF and USAID together for this mission. We intend to make on the ground impact through deepening access to treatment and improving patient care. USISPF is committed to inclusive development, for citizens of both India and the U.S., through more strategic public-private collaboration and deeper engagement with other key stakeholders in the ecosystem.”

USAID is the United States Government’s leading development and humanitarian assistance agency. USISPF is a non-profit organization focused on strengthening business relations between the U.S. and India and enhancing the U.S.-India strategic relationship.