Fuelled by IFC’s investment, Apollo pursues expansion

Sneha Gilada

Apollo Clinics, initiated in 2002, over the years, has expanded to a network of 70 clinics across 30 cities in India. “No competitor has come anywhere close to establishing as many clinics,” Anand P Wasker, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Apollo Clinic, proudly stated at the opening of Apollo’s 7^thclinic in Hyderabad at Manikonda. “Another branch is expected to come up in Uppal,” he added.

The inaugural event was graced by the presence of chief guest Mr. KB Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. He expressed his appreciation for the contribution of private sector enterprises like Apollo in the field of healthcare, which are instrumental in the implementation of e-health and teleconsultation services in remote rural areas.

Each Apollo clinic sprawled across a space of approximately 4000 sq ft, brings all out-patient services under one roof. In its bid to expand quality healthcare, and make state-of-the-art medical facilities accessible to all neighbourhoods in the cities of India, Apollo opens 8-10 clinics on a yearly basis.

“Apollo clinics are vehicles of primary healthcare that form the first point of medical contact for people in need of medical services,” said Dhananjay Chithathoor, Chief Marketing Officer, Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd. (AHLL)

Apollo Clinics is one of the many initiatives taken by Apollo Hospitals to cater to the wide spectrum of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in India. Its aggressive expansion strategy serves to realise its broad vision of touching a billion lives. “This isn’t expansion for expansion’s sake. It’s dictated by what the consumers want,” Anand P Wasker, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Apollo Clinic said.

Apollo Cradle (Women and Children’s Hospitals), Apollo Fertility (Fertility Centres), Apollo Spectra (Surgical Centres), Apollo Sugar (Diabetes Clinics), Apollo White (Dental Clinics) and Apollo Diagnostics are the other services that are offered by Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, under the umbrella organisation of Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd.

An investment of Rs 450 crores by International Financial Corporation (IFC), World Bank in November 2016 has given an added impetus for expansion of the small-format primary and secondary healthcare facilities of Apollo. This rapid expansion is likely to give rise to a spurt of employment in the industry for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

This investment, probably the largest ever private equity growth capital investment in the primary healthcare segment in India, reflects Apollo’s leadership in the healthcare industry. Apollo plans to continue to expand and address the three main aspects of quality, access and affordability that make healthcare holistic.