Manipal Health Enterprises (MHE) today announced plans to invest close to Rs 150 crore to expand its clinic arm - Manipal Cure and Care (MCC) to its existing ones in Bangalore. Meanwhile, it will also explore opportunities to expand in other Indian cities, through direct investment.
Manipal Health Enterprises, the holding company, is optimistic these clinics will further accelerate its market penetration and reach. MCC clinics provides a range of preventive, curative, wellness and beauty services under one roof, driven by healthcare professionals.
Announcing the initiative, Rajen Padukone, CEO, Manipal Health Enterprises, stated, “We hope to reintroduce the erstwhile ‘family physician’ in the neighborhood clinic where an individual could get medical care at nearby polyclinic.”
Dr S C Nagendra Swamy, President, Manipal Health Enterprises, added: “We plan to integrate our skills and expand our presence in preventive, curative, wellness and beauty care categories as there is a substantial demand in India. With these clinics we will be able to offer medical services and unmatched convenience and comfort to our patients in their nearest neighborhood.”
Dr Sudarshan Ballal, Medical Director, Manipal Health Enterprises, further said, “The concept of the friendly familiar family physician is gradually fading away and now a neighbourhood multi-specialty polyclinic like Manipal Cure & Care Clinic will ensure the patient gets the necessary diagnosis as well as a consultation from an experienced physician.”
MHE had earlier put on hold expansion of MCC when the economic slowdown began to bite, and the “wellness clinic” model under which MCC was based, did not show much success. Similar efforts by other healthcare providers too had failed to catch on then, and most of them abandoned their plans altogether.