The Need

Falling sick in Delhi can be dangerous for the poor and under-served. Private providers are expensive and of variable quality. The public health system, where present, is often overloaded and does not cover the high cost of medications and other expensive supplies. Many poor people, or those just making ends meet, can descend into abject poverty as a result of falling ill. The Ila Trust seeks to take care of the poor and under-served by providing healthcare at no cost to the patient. Most patients will seek healthcare if they feel very sick, but often pay no attention to symptoms if those complaints don’t interfere with their daily activities. Thus, people ignore illnesses that are asymptomatic or slow to fulminate -- illnesses that can be cured when caught early but exact a large toll if left to fester. In India, the poor suffer such bad outcomes disproportionately because they cannot spare time from their occupations to seek non-catastrophic care.