Apollo Hospitals to open tele-medicine centres in Kutch

Apollo Hospitals along with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Self Employed Women's Association will develop tele-medicine centres in 300 villages of Kutch. The project is expected to commence in two months.

Each centre will have a kiosk with diagnostic equipments and will cost about Rs 5 lakh, informed Anil Maini, president of corporate development, Apollo. "ISRO will provide technical support like VSAT, broadband facilities and kiosks in the project while, we will provide clinical support. One mobile tele-medicine van will also be provided," added Maini.

"Apollo Hospitals already has their main centre for tele-medicine in Ahmedabad, which will cater to the needs of other centres in MP, Gujarat and Rajasthan," informed Alexander Kuruvilla, CEO of Apollo Hospitals International Limited, Ahmedabad.

Apollo will also expanded its academic institutions to cater to the increasing demand of trained manpower in healthcare industry. It is setting up nursing school and school of paramedics and hospital administration this year.

This apart, Apollo Hospitals will expand their presence in Gujarat and Rajasthan. "Currently, we have 14 hospitals in these regions and will soon increase the number of hospital to 30 after investing more than Rs 100 crore next year," said Maini.

He further added that the Apollo Hospitals group will also increase its franchises in Gujarat. "Right now there are two franchises and we are negotiating with other clinics for the offer," said Maini. The group will also set up an exclusive cncology centre in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Maini said that under Apollo International, they are setting two 'First Meds' center with an investment of Rs 20 crore each in Rajkot and Udaipur in Rajasthan.

"An ultra modern oncology centre, a comprehensive cancer care center, is expected to be operational from June at Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad with an investment of Rs 40 crore. This centre will be set up in association with Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, Bakersfield, USA," said Maini.