Microfinance and Healthcare Access in India: A Cross-Sectional Study on Microfinance Institution Beneficiaries

Abstract

Health and healthcare access have become topmost priorities of the underprivileged in the current world. It is of concern, as ill health and lack of access to healthcare lead to the loss of lives and livelihood and create perils of the poor masses. In this context, microfinance has proved to be a boon in providing income and livelihood and reducing poverty. The microfinance industry has ventured into the health sector to provide an affordable alternative to lack of access to healthcare finance. This study is an attempt to understand the perceptions of the microfinance beneficiaries and their perspective towards healthcare expenditure. The study focuses on the utilisation of microcredit towards healthcare access by the households that are covered under microfinance institutions.