Network Hospital Programme
An operational programme of the Azim Premji Foundation that builds long-term partnerships with public-spirited hospitals across India, supporting hospitals committed to providing ethical, affordable, and quality healthcare, particularly for poor and vulnerable communities.
About the Programme
Healthcare in India is supported by a diverse ecosystem of public, private, charitable, and not-for-profit institutions, each playing an important role in meeting the healthcare needs of communities. However, depending on the context, people may face challenges in accessing timely and appropriate secondary and speciality care. Over the period, public health facilities have improved; however, they remain overburdened and stretched. Private healthcare may not always be affordable for families with limited financial resources. The charitable hospitals play a significant role in fulfilling the health care needs of a large section of the population. They remain under severe stress to sustain their services and upgrade, while continuing to be relevant.
The Network Hospitals Programme of the Azim Premji Foundation intends to build partnerships with public-spirited hospitals to expand their capacity to provide quality-assured subsidised care to needy people.
Vision
To build a network of ethical and public-spirited hospitals that work together to ensure poor and vulnerable communities have timely access to affordable, quality healthcare, irrespective of their ability to pay.
Key Initiatives
Patient subsidies form one of the important pillars of the programme. Alongside this, the programme supports specialist services, inter-hospital referrals, clinical training, technology solutions, infrastructure strengthening, and shared learning.
Patient subsidies are a key part of the Network Hospitals Programme. The programme partners with public-spirited hospitals to expand their capacity to provide affordable care for patients from poor and vulnerable communities. Rather than replacing the charitable work that hospitals already undertake, the programme builds upon existing efforts, enabling hospitals to support more patients and provide greater levels of financial assistance.
Patient subsidy support is designed to be flexible and responsive to the needs of partner hospitals. Hospitals continue to follow their established processes for identifying patients who require financial assistance, ensuring that support reaches those who need it most while respecting the hospital's institutional practices.
The programme supports a broad range of healthcare services, including outpatient (OPD), inpatient (IPD), and day-care treatments. At the same time, it complements rather than duplicates existing treatment support schemes.
A key feature of the programme is the referral network among partner hospitals. When a patient requires specialised treatment that is not available at one hospital, they can be referred to another hospital within the network. By connecting hospitals within a network, the programme enables timely referrals, continuity of care, and better coordination between institutions, enabling seamless transitions. Patients referred through the network are not required to undergo repeated assessments of financial vulnerability, enabling faster access to appropriate care and reducing the burden on families.
Access to specialist care remains a significant challenge for many public-spirited hospitals, particularly those serving rural and remote communities. The Network Hospitals Programme addresses this gap by facilitating access to a pool of experienced specialists through periodic hospital visits and telemedicine support. This initiative enables hospitals to strengthen specialist services, improve access to quality care, and provide clinical mentorship to local healthcare teams. By connecting hospitals with specialist expertise, the programme helps expand healthcare services closer to the communities that need them most.
The programme strengthens the clinical capabilities of partner hospitals by facilitating mentorship, skill transfer, and hands-on learning across the network. Experienced hospitals and specialists support doctors, nurses, and healthcare teams through onsite mentoring, online sessions, exposure visits, and practical clinical guidance. By building local capacity and strengthening clinical services, the programme enables hospitals to provide a wider range of quality healthcare closer to the communities they serve.
The Network Hospitals Programme creates meaningful learning opportunities for students, young graduates, clinicians, and healthcare professionals through internships, fellowships, volunteering, rural immersion, and career opportunities across partner hospitals. By connecting young professionals with public-spirited hospitals, the programme creates opportunities for meaningful, hands-on learning while contributing to healthcare services in rural, tribal, and underserved communities. These experiences enable young professionals to deepen their understanding of healthcare in diverse contexts and encourage a commitment to equitable and compassionate care.
Partner Hospitals
The Network Hospitals Programme partners with hospitals that are committed to providing ethical, affordable, and quality healthcare to vulnerable communities. Together, these institutions form a growing network that collaborates to strengthen services, improve patient care, and expand access to healthcare across diverse geographies.
Explore the hospitals that are part of the Network Hospitals Programme.
See all partner hospitalsOpportunities
The programme offers opportunities for doctors, nurses, students, researchers, and young professionals to engage with partner hospitals through internships, fellowships, volunteering, rural immersion programmes, and career opportunities.
Explore current openings across the Network Hospitals Programme and become part of a collective effort to strengthen equitable healthcare in India.