MANILA, PHILIPPINES (3 February 2021) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and DCDC Healthcare Services Private Limited (DCDC) signed a $10 million equity investment to increase the company’s capacity to provide renal treatment services in India.
The ADB investment will be placed in equivalent Indian rupees and includes a $5 million equity investment made on behalf of Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP), which is supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
An investment of $11.5 million (in equivalent Indian rupees) is provided by the Danish development finance institution, Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU), on behalf of the Danish Sustainable Development Goals Investment Fund which is backed by the Government of Denmark, leading Danish pension funds, and other private and institutional investors.
The equity will accelerate DCDC’s growth to double treatment capacity before 2025 to improve access to affordable dialysis for patients across India. More than one million people need regular dialysis in India. Chronic kidney disease is often diagnosed at an advanced stage when it is too late to restore regular kidney functions, requiring three dialysis sessions a week.
“The relatively high cost of renal care treatment coupled with travel expenses and scarce dialysis services can damage income and employment prospects especially at low-income households,” said ADB Principal Investment Specialist Samarendra Singh. “ADB and IFU’s combined support aims to ensure DCDC’s continued robust operations and expand its reach in India.”
“DCDC’s focus on providing treatment for mostly the economically weaker section of India’s population fits well with IFU’s investment strategy of contributing towards a more just and inclusive economy,” said IFU Senior Investment Manager Emil Sierczynski. “We are pleased to partner with DCDC and ADB, a well-run partnership with a clear purpose, and look forward to taking an active part of the company’s growth and impact journey.”
“We are excited to partner with IFU as well as to strengthen our existing relationship with ADB as it will be help us to create a more robust dialysis platform across India,” said DCDC Founder and Director Aseem Garg. “The complementing values present synergy towards development of dialysis infrastructure which will prove to be a boon for ailing patients of chronic kidney disease, especially the poor.”
DCDC is India’s largest operator of public–private partnership (PPP) dialysis centers. Since ADB’s first round of investment in 2018, the company has established 24 new PPP centers in government hospitals. DCDC now has more than 100 centers in public hospitals, private hospitals, and as stand-alone clinics.
LEAP was established in 2016 with a $1.5 billion capital commitment from JICA. It is focused on delivering high quality and sustainable private sector infrastructure projects that reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and offer accessible and affordable health care, education, and communication services to ADB’s developing member countries.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.