The Hindu Business Line : GE Healthcare to expand product portfolio in India

“The company plans to tie up and acquire products in varied segments to become a complete solutions provider in the healthcare and life sciences space.”

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Bangalore, Nov. 12 GE Healthcare said it was targeting an Indian turnover of $800 million (around Rs 3,200 crore) by 2010 by expanding its maternal-infant care and imaging products range in the country.

It expected to touch $500 million (around Rs 2,000 crore) for the current fiscal, Mr V. Raja, President and CEO, GE Healthcare South Asia, said here on Monday.

The maternal-infant care or MIC segment, its new growth driver, alone would contribute $30 million (around Rs 120 crore) from the local market, he said during the launch of a new MIC product designed and developed at its R&D centre here.

New product

The Lullaby light therapy system is used to treat jaundice in newborns. GE officials said they expected domestic sales of 1,000 Lullaby units in India in the first year apart from exports to Europe, Latin America, the Gulf market and the Asia Pacific.

Mr Raja said more MIC products were lined up for launch in early 2008. “As a part of our overall business strategy, GE Healthcare plans to tie up and acquire products in varied segments to become a complete solutions provider in the healthcare and life sciences space. With our recent tie-up with Phoenix, we have now started manufacturing these products in India to expand our MIC portfolio. We plan to explore further opportunities to tap other potential segments.”

According to Mr Omar Ishrak, President and CEO of GE’s Clinical Systems business who was here for the launch, “We’re developing innovative healthcare solutions (with clinical partners) to address some of today’s most pressing healthcare issues, improving access to quality care in rural communities and … shifting to an ‘early health’ model of care.”

The world over, an estimated 133 million newborn babies are diagnosed with jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia) each year; 80 per cent of premature babies and 8-10 per cent of full-term babies need to have phototherapy for 3-5 days.

Non-treatment can lead to brain damage, paralysis, deafness and death.

The UK-based $17-billion diagnostic and imaging major’s range is used in detecting heart problems, cancer, neurological, bone and other conditions.

Some 15 per cent of GE Healthcare’s manufacturing is said to be from India.

Mr Raja said Indians formed 25 per cent of the total GE engineering strength; 1,000 of the 4,000 working at the Bangalore R&D centre worked for the healthcare division.

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