Global pharmaceutical major Pfizer India is expanding its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts in India with a strong focus on improving healthcare access, reducing inequalities, and strengthening public health systems. The company’s initiatives are designed to address critical healthcare challenges such as cancer care, rare diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and healthcare innovation through partnerships with hospitals, NGOs, and government agencies.
In an interaction with TheCSRUniverse, Sharad Goswami, Senior Director of Global Policy and International Public Affairs at Pfizer, said the company’s CSR strategy is guided by its global purpose of delivering “Breakthroughs that Change Patients’ Lives.” According to him, Pfizer aims to combine scientific expertise with community-focused interventions to create inclusive and sustainable healthcare solutions in India.
One of Pfizer India’s flagship CSR programmes is Project Aastha, launched in 2021 to support patients suffering from cancer and rare diseases. The initiative goes beyond medical treatment by providing hospital navigation assistance, emotional counselling, and financial guidance for patients and caregivers. Implemented in partnership with Doctors for You, the programme has reportedly reached nearly nine lakh patients and caregivers through 15 helpdesks established in major government hospitals across the country.
For rare disease patients, the company has set up dedicated helpdesks at institutions including AIIMS Delhi and NIMS Hyderabad. Since 2025, these centres have registered more than 47,000 patients and conducted over 15,000 counselling sessions. The initiative has also helped more than 1,100 patients apply for government financial aid schemes. Pfizer believes this holistic support system reduces stress for families and improves the overall treatment journey for patients.
Another major area of Pfizer’s CSR work is combating antimicrobial resistance, which is considered a growing public health threat in India. Through Project Parivartan, implemented in partnership with Americares India Foundation, the company has focused on improving infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship in hospitals. The programme has been introduced in several hospitals across multiple states and has shown significant improvements in infection control practices.
According to Pfizer, Project Parivartan achieved an average 30% reduction in hospital-acquired infections and a 24% decline in multidrug-resistant organisms in participating hospitals. The initiative also improved awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial stewardship among healthcare workers. The company has created a model framework from the project to help other hospitals adopt similar infection control systems.
Pfizer’s CSR activities also extend to healthcare innovation through the INDovation programme, which supports Indian health-tech startups working on medical and diagnostic solutions. The initiative, supported by organisations such as NITI Aayog and NIPER Ahmedabad, provides funding, incubation support, mentorship, and market access opportunities for startups developing healthcare technologies.
In the 2025 edition of INDovation, Pfizer selected 14 startups from more than 300 applicants. The selected startups are working in areas such as cancer detection, maternal healthcare, immunisation, and digital diagnostics. Each startup received financial grants and incubation support to help scale their innovations for public healthcare use.
Pfizer stated that collaboration between corporates, governments, healthcare institutions, and NGOs is essential to strengthening India’s healthcare infrastructure. The company believes that public-private partnerships, healthcare education, innovation, and patient-centric care models are key to building resilient healthcare systems capable of addressing future health challenges.
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