Apollo Hospitals Group will soon begin work on a 250-bed hospital in Chittagong (Bangladesh) and hopes to complete the Rs 125-crore hospital in a span of 18 months.

“We have some issues with approach (to the hospital). We are confident of clearing that and begin work on the hospital,” Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals group, said.

North-east plan

The group was also planning to open hospitals in the North-East. “A dedicated team is scouting for likely sites for setting up hospitals,” he said.

He said the second quarter numbers and full financial year would be robust. “Elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu did have an impact early this year. The first quarter numbers showed up. We are expecting this to continue in the remaining quarters,” he admitted.

Addressing reporters here on Friday, he said the company had completed 50 per cent of the target to add 2,400 beds during 2010-11 and 2011-12. “By the end of this financial year would have 9,400 beds,” he said.

Asked whether the global economic slowdown had impacted inflow of patients from abroad, he said the number, in fact, had gone up. “We are expecting 75,000 foreign patients during the financial year 2011-12 as against 60,000 last year. About two-thirds of patients are outpatients, with the rest being in-patients,” he said.