Narayana Health to venture into Africa

Widening its reach to offer quality medical care to residents of Africa, Narayana Health plans to set up state-of-the art super-speciality centres in the continent, a company official said here Saturday.

Narayana Health (formerly Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospitals) is in talks with officials in Africa to establish cardiac care centres and super-speciality facilities in joint venture projects.

"We are in talks with people there. Several areas like east and west Africa are grossly underserviced. It will be a joint venture initiative," said A. Raghuvanshi, vice chairman, managing director and group CEO, Narayana Health.

According to Devi Shetty, founder of Narayana Health, a considerable amount of Africans seek medical care in India as not many facilities are available in the continent.

"Providing the expertise and facilities to them would boost healthcare in African countries. In countries like Nigeria, one of the most populous places, there are not more than two heart clinics. A lot of centres are needed there," he said.

The organisation has also set up a heart centre in association with a local centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malayasia, that will become functional by November.

In Cayman Islands on the western Caribbean Sea, a medical facility is scheduled to open up by February next year.