Expanding access to health care for patients around the world is a key component
of Abbott's citizenship commitment, and it is integral to our core business strategy. Enhancing Access is a fundamental element of our responsibility as a health care company.

We work with governments, health care professionals and other partners to help overcome the myriad of challenges to health care access. These challenges are particularly acute in India because of the nation's large and growing population, many of who live in remote, rural communities with limited access to health care facilities. The country is also grappling with the burden of infectious and chronic diseases.

Access to health care is unusually challenging in India. A large portion of the country's 1.2 billion population lives in remote rural areas where distribution of health care products and services is difficult. India accounts for 38 percent of the total world population that lacks access to essential medicines.

The country has just six doctors, 13 nurses and nine hospital beds available for every 10,000 people. Health care providers lack access to the latest information on diagnostic and treatment techniques, equipment and medicines. 

Abbott's Approach

Abbott works with India's government, its health care professionals and a wide range of other partners to make health care products and services available to the growing number of Indians who need them. Abbott's commitment to expanding India's health care access includes:

• Advancing disease awareness and education
• Training health care professionals
  
• Donating critical medicines
  
• Advancing preventive health care
  
• Ensuring appropriate pricing