Apollo Hospitals Group will invest Rs 1,500 crore on increasing the number of its beds to nearly 11,500 by March 2014, said Dr Prathap Reddy, Founder-Chairman of the hospital chain, here on Saturday.
Talking to reporters after inaugurating an oncology facility at Apollo Hospitals here, he said the healthcare group had added 800 beds in 2011 in its existing 56 hospitals, which now have 9,000 beds.
With the opening of six new hospitals this year, it would have over 10,000 beds. Apollo is also planning to add 60 new clinics to increase the number to 100 this year.
cardiac clinic
In Gujarat, where Apollo Hospitals and Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd have a 50:50 partnership, the duo has decided to launch an additional cardiac clinic by July this year at an investment of Rs 15 crore. They are also considering setting up one or two more hospitals in Gujarat, at a distance of nearly three hours from Ahmedabad, he said.
Expansion overseas
The partners are looking at setting up outpatient clinics in African countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda as well.
Asked about Apollo Hospitals' forays overseas, Dr Reddy said that the group has, after expanding its reach to Dubai, Mauritius and other places, temporarily decided to focus only on India. However, its super-specialty facility in Tanzania will increase the number of beds from the existing 300 to 500.
Replying to a question about the 1,300-strong Apollo Pharmacy chain, he said the Group has identified some potential investors abroad for setting up more such pharmacies in India once the Government eases the FDI norms.
Dr Reddy said the group is expecting to get loans to the tune of Rs 600 crore for expansion this year. “We may also plan to add 4,000 beds next year in the three-year period of 2014-17.”