Fortis to invest in Raipur

Fortis Escorts Hospital and Research Centre (FEHRC) will invest Rs 875 crore in Chhattisgarh for medical education and research works.

The investment from the FEHRC will come in next five to seven years. The company aimed to develop Chhattisgarh as a major center and give it a new identity in the field of medical education and research.

Besides infrastructure, the company plans to set up a medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy colleges besides health and hospital management institute, college for allied medical sciences and college for physical medicine and rehabilitation.

On completion of the projects that would come up in phases, more than 15,000 people would get direct and indirect employment.

The investment in Chhattisgarh is part of the FEHRC's expansion plan after the Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre became a part of the Fortis Healthcare Limited.

State officials said that the group managed 13 hospitals with 2000 beds in eight states in the country. The company now plans to increase the number of hospitals to 40 and beds to 7000 in next few years.

The Chhattisgarh government has also renewed its agreement with the FEHRC for another ten years to run the Escorts Heart Command Centre, set up in November 1, 2002, in the state capital. The five-year agreement of the hospital expired on November 1 this year.

Under the renewed agreement, the number of beds reserved for the people living below poverty line would be increased from 15 to 25 per cent while the center would upgrade its medical facilities.