Healthcare Beacons

NCR is witnessing one of the most exciting phases in healthcare making it truly emerge as a healthcare hub. Priti Pathak reports

After Delhi, it is now the turn of the National Capital Region (NCR) to undergo a dramatic makeover in healthcare delivery. NCR encompasses areas around New Delhi which include Faridabad, Gurgaon, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. These neighboring towns around Delhi have been witnessing a spectacular growth in terms of infrastructure and employment, driven by MNCs which have set up state-of-the-art facilities here. However, as far as healthcare facilities are concerned the situation was not very satisfactory until 2007. Most of the populace from NCR had to rush to Delhi to consult well-known doctors. "Until now Delhi was the only healthcare hub for the closed states like UP, Haryana and Rajasthan," informs Daljit Singh, President- Operations and Strategy, Fortis Healthcare. It also receives patients

from Nepal and Bangladesh. However, the future may not be so gloomy because the scene is set to change with corporate hospitals making a foray in the NCR market. Besides the big projects, there are small and mid-sized hospital projects also coming up in the region to cater to the rising healthcare demands. NCR has a population of almost 35 million. The factor that adds to the feasibility of the market is the large population and the paying capacity of the people. Apart from local residents, it has a huge potential from J&K and other states of the North- East India which NCR hospitals wish to tap. "As of now the top few players in healthcare contribute up to 25 per cent to the total market share," informs Singh.

The Delhi Government announced the launch of 12 new hospitals coming up across the city.

Emerging Players

Gurgaon, which is fast emerging as an ultramodern city did not have a single large healthcare facility for long. This scarcity of good hospitals prompted corporate and big hospitals to set up facilities here to cater to the healthcare needs of the growing population. Apollo Tyres has forayed into the healthcare business with the launch of 'Artemis Health Institute' in Gurgaon, the 260 bedded multi-specialty Hospital which started in 2007. Fortis also has two projects in the pipeline which include a 500 beded hospital in Shalimar Bagh which will be commissioned by 2009 and a 1000 beded hospital in Gurgaon, to be commissioned by 2010. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Moolchand Hospital, St Stephen Hospital are some of the major players among the non-profit healthcare sector. Whereas, considering the corporate sector, the top healthcare players are Fortis and Max.

Healthcare Hub

With so many specialties in the healthcare segment in NCR, predictably enough, NCR is all set to emerge as a health hub of the future. These hospitals will no doubt create stiff competition but ultimately the winner is the consumer who would be spoilt for choice with quality healthcare just a doorstep away. It is not only the local inhabitants but most groups are building world class facilities to attract patients from all over the world. Thus, the heart of India is now gearing up to become the epi-centre for the world as well.