Apollo Health to enter SAARC nations

NEW DELHI, OCT. 5. Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chennai-based healthcare group Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, plans to set up a chain of 15-20 clinics in the neighbouring SAARC countries and West Asia.

``We want to deliver world-class healthcare facilities and expertise through the delivery models which would be set up on a franchisee-based business model,'' Mr. Ratan Jalan, chief executive officer, Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd. (AHLL), told PTI here.

He said the company was planning to set up over 250 clinics across the country in the next three years out of which 30 clinics would come in the North by March next.

Mr. Jalan said Apollo was also working on a plan to set up a network of psychiatry, geriatrics, maternity and diabetes clinics besides primary healthcare clinics and added that the first speciality clinic would be set up next year.

The primary healthcare clinics to be set up at an investment of Rs. 2 crores will have facilities such as consultation room, diagnostic lab, 24 hour pharmacy and telemedicine.

While Apollo will provide training, software, marketing and designing support, it will claim a revenue share at 4 per cent.

While the Apollo clinics would be designed by architect, Mr. Alfaz Miller, uniforms would be designed by Mr. Ravi Bajaj.

The company had already tied up with GE Medical Systems for IT and software solutions and with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Bangalore, for conducting customised training programme for its staff, Mr. Jalan said.

Mr. Jalan said though Apollo would not be a direct investor and the franchisee would have to make the estimated investment of Rs. 2 crores on its own, the company would support it in preparing the feasibility report as also helping in arranging for debt if needed.

He said the third party audit system would be followed to maintain effective quality control besides stringent selection procedures for franchisees.

Stating that only 32 per cent of the total health expenditure was spent on hospitals with 68 per cent going into primary health care, he said the company was targeting a revenue of Rs. 600 crores by 2003.

- PTI

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