Dr Batras' will go to London, Dubai

Dr Batras' Positive Health Clinic Private Limited (DBPHC), the chain of homeopathic clinics, is on its way to expand its global network.

The company is laying the groundwork for establishing an independent clinic in London and Dubai in collaboration with a local partner, making it the first Indian homeopathic clinic chain to do so.

The clinics would offer the same services that are available in India and aims to cater to people of Indian origin in both the countries initially.

"Considering the rising number of international patients travelling to India due to health cost benefits, coming up with international outlets has become the next logical step. In this regard, Dubai and London would be the best markets for us since we have already established a good clientele there who would have otherwise travelled to India for treatment, " said Akshay Batra, deputy managing director, DBPHC.

Although, the company wants to position itself as an individual chain, it has tied up with a local company in Dubai owing to legal requirements. "We would be pumping in around $50,000 for our Dubai venture initially while investment for the London clinic would be much higher due to leasing costs, " said Batra.

The Dubai clinic is likely to be functional from March 2007 while the London clinic, for which papers are currently being processed by the ministry of home affairs, UK, would begin operations from June-July next year, added Batra.

The company has around 1,25,000 patients in India of which around 10,000 of them come from abroad forming roughly 10 per cent of its revenues. The company reportedly gives online consultation and treatment to more than 4. 5 lakh patients from over 86 countries every month. The company claims that the number is growing.

The US and Australia are next in line for the company's expansion, it plans to consolidate its presence in the country.

With the opening of a new clinic in Ahmedabad, the company now has 51 clinics in total with new clinics being targeted at Indore, Visakhapatnam and others.