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What this paper demonstrates is that the mindset of MDBs is so shaped by neoliberal ideas that, even during a pandemic clearly demonstrating the failures of this approach in healthcare, they continue to espouse them. In some ways, this is not surprising as during crisis, humans tend more than usual to use existing idea, frameworks and tropes to shape action. Thus, the health loans to India in response to the pandemic appear at first as though they will be largely supporting the public sector. However, as one reads the details, it becomes clearer that much of the surge funding will prop-up (struggling) private hospitals. By largely supporting the existing healthcare system, the large loans from the MDBs have not addressed the large inequalities in access to healthcare between: urban and rural dwellers; states with a relatively high number of hospital beds versus those with much fewer; and men and women. In other words, these healthcare loans do not provide anywhere near enough support for many of the most vulnerable in India. Finally, there was little support in the loans India’s vulnerable health workforce, in particular female community health workers who have been at the forefront of the COVID-19 response and have suffered disproportionately as a response.