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Private hospitals must provide medical care at affordable costs, said the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh.
Inaugurating two hospitals – Apollo Reach Hospital and Vasan Eyecare and Research Institute – at Karaikudi (Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu), Dr Singh said providing good medical care at affordable cost is the government's aim and the private sector must support in this regard, given the “vastness of the country and its large population.”
Social obligation
“Private hospitals have an obligation to provide medical care at an affordable cost to the people; it is also their social obligation to provide free medical care to some of the very poor. I have no doubt the two hospitals will bear these obligations in mind.”
The Apollo Reach model seeks to bring “affordable” healthcare to smaller towns. It leverages technology to make available services such as telemedicine, specialist second opinion services and mobile-healthcare.
The 110-bed multi-disciplinary Apollo Reach Hospital at Karaikudi will provide patients with services in 21 specialties including cardiology and cardio thoracic surgery, neurosciences, orthopaedics, emergency and critical Care and preventive care.
Currently, 10 Apollo Reach hospitals are operational in the country. “Our blueprint is for 200 Apollo Reach Hospitals in district headquarters,” said Ms Preetha Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals.
The occasion also marked the inauguration of the Vasan group's 100th eye hospital in the country. The Karaikudi facility also has a nursing institute in its campus.
“We will expand our services to 125 hospitals by the end of this fiscal year,” said Dr A. M. Arun, Chairman, Vasan Healthcare Group.
Dr K. Rosaiah, Governor of Tamil Nadu, and Mr P. Chidambaram, Union Minister of Home Affairs, Government of India, also graced the occasion.
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