IHH will advance the tracking of ATOs in order to promote responsible antibiotic use, a key performance metric under the loan facility. The initiative also supports Singapore’s National Strategic Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance.
For IHH Healthcare group CFO Dilip Kadambi, the loan is a reflection of the company’s belief that how it finances growth matters as much as how it grows. He adds, “By linking this facility to antibiotic stewardship — a clinical priority with profound implications for patient safety and public health — we are breaking new ground in what sustainable finance can achieve in the healthcare sector.”
Adjunct Associate Professor Keith Lim, group chief medical officer, IHH Healthcare expresses pride about contributing to Singapore’s National Strategic Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance through this partnership with DBS. “Strengthening efforts to tackle one of the most pressing global health threats today ensures that the care we deliver remains clinically effective, socially responsible and sustainable for generations to come,” he says.
Dr Eugene Hong, head of healthcare and pharmaceuticals at DBS institutional banking group, says that antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health risk that requires a concerted effort across the healthcare ecosystem. He says: “By integrating a first-of-its-kind key performance indicator directly linked to antibiotic stewardship into this sustainability-linked loan, we are not only demonstrating the power of innovative financing but also our commitment to supporting better clinical practices and improving population health outcomes.
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“This transaction showcases how sustainable finance, championed by institutions like DBS, can evolve beyond traditional environmental metrics to catalyse progress on critical social and public health challenges within the healthcare sector."
IHH operates Mount Elizabeth, Mount Elizabeth Novena, Gleneagles and Parkway East hospitals in Singapore.
On May 15, shares in IHH closed two cents, or 0.7%, higher at $2.90 while shares in DBS closed at $60.2, up seven cents or 0.1%.
