IFC

Patients living in poverty in the Global South are being bankrupted by private healthcare corporations backed by multi-million-dollar investments from development finance institutions (DFIs) run by the UK, French, German and other rich country governments. DFIs like the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) invest public funds via the private sector to help foster economic development in the Global South and tackle poverty. However, Oxfam published two investigations on DFI funding into private hospital chains and other for-profit healthcare corporations operating in low- and middle-income countries and found cases of them.   

In response to the publication today of Bloomberg’s investigation into human rights abuses alleged to have been committed in private hospitals.

We, the undersigned, are calling for a stop to funding from Development Finance Institutions to private for-profit healthcare providers. Mounting evidence shows that this funding is going to expensive out-of-reach private hospitals and clinics in low- and middle-income countries that are widening healthcare inequalities, exacerbating poverty and gender-based discrimination and violating human rights. Far from advancing progress towards Universal Health Coverage as governments have committed, this form of development finance is undermining it. 
 

This report examines the support to private healthcare provision in India by the World Bank’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Despite supporting private healthcare in the country since 1997, no healthcare results for lending and investments have been disclosed since the start of these operations over twenty-five years ago.

The World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) has quietly divested from New Globe Schools, better known as Bridge International Academies (BIA), a for-profit school chain operating in four African countries and India. The IFC has invested $13.5 million in BIA since 2014, with the intention of supporting the company’s expansion to other countries.

Nadia Daar, Head of Oxfam International's Washington DC office, responds to the World Bank’s announcement today that it has appointed Mr. Makhtar Diop as the new CEO of its private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

"The IFC can’t simply wash its hands of responsibility for upholding its own policies. There must be reparations for the damages caused," said Christian Donaldson, Oxfam International’s Senior Advisor on International Financial Institutions, in response to he publication today of an independent investigation into a hydroelectric dam project in Guatemala that found the International Financial Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s private sector arm, was negligent in preventing harm to indigenous communities.

Public aid money should not be used to fund corporate-backed private school chains that fuel inequality. Other donor agencies and governments now need to follow suit, said Oxfam today in response to the US House Financial Services Committee’s (HFSC) announcement that the World Bank and its private sector arm have approved a package of reforms.

Reaction to today’s ruling by the US Supreme Court that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) was not categorically immune from lawsuits under US law.

In “Powering the Transition,” Oxfam details how together, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank are investing almost $5 billion in fossil fuels in the 10 Asian countries that belong to the Climate Vulnerable Forum.