Apollo, Morepen Labs In Tie Up For Emergency Services

The Apollo Hospitals Group has tied up with Morepen Labs to launch 3H-1066, a system of pre-hospital emergency care. It includes a common national emergency number (1066), a fleet of specialised ambulances, air ambulance services, an accident insurance scheme called "Dost" and a project called "Lifesavers" that will train people in accident-prone areas on emergency first aid.

The Apollo Hospitals Group already has the service running in Chennai and Hyderabad. It has now been extended it to New Delhi. In the second phase, the group is looking at extending the services to other cities such as Bangalore, Coimbatore etc. Subsequently, the group is looking at setting up the services abroad too, which will include the South Asian Association of Regional Countries (Saarc) region countries and West Asia.

The total investment in the project, according to Apollo Hospitals Group chairman Prathap C Reddy, would be to the tune of Rs 20-25 crore. And this investment will be shared by both the partners. The venture is being supported by 3H, a division of Morepen Laboratories Ltd which stands for healing, health and happiness. According to Morepen Laboratories chairman & managing director Sushil Suri, the financial support for the venture will come from the company's formulations division.

Each ambulance, according to Reddy, will cost Rs 16-18 lakh. The group is also looking at creating a network of hospitals in all the cities it proposes to cover to admit the patients brought by its ambulances. Reddy said that already 900 hospitals all over the country have expressed their interest in being hooked to this network.

Reddy also announced the launch of Dost, an accident insurance scheme whereby for a premium of Rs 200, a person can get himself insured for a sum of upto Rs 50,000.