Apollo joins look-East bandwagon for acquisitions, secures Kolkata facility

Apollo Hospitals Enterprises has announced the acquisition of a partially completed hospital in Sonarpur, Kolkata, from Future Oncology Hospital and Research Centre for Rs 102 crore. The purchase was made through Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, a wholly-owned subsidiary. The new facility has a planned capacity of 325 beds and comes on the heels of Temasek-backed Manipal Health Enterprises acquiring an 84 per cent stake in Emami Group’s AMRI Hospitals for around Rs 2,300 crore.

Fortis Healthcare is also considering a 100 per cent stake acquisition in Artistery Properties for Rs 32 crore in Kolkata. The new property is adjacent to Fortis Hospital at Anandapur and will be utilised to relocate their daycare and outpatient departments.

Corporate hospitals are increasingly focusing on East India, identifying it as an underserved region. Manipal Hospitals, which already operates nearly 2,000 beds in the area, is open to further acquisitions. “There is a historical trend of people from the east travelling to South or North for their treatment,” said Dilip Jose, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Manipal Hospitals.

Alok Roy, former chairman of Medica Hospitals, added that new state government schemes in West Bengal, which cover the cost of medical treatment, have encouraged people to seek care within the state, creating more opportunities for healthcare providers.

Apollo plans to add another 700 beds in the East over the next three years, increasing its total bed count in the region to 2,500. The first phase of the newly-acquired hospital will include 225 beds and is expected to be operational within the next 12 months. The acquisition is fully funded by Apollo through its internal accruals.

“For over 20 years, consumers in Kolkata and the North-East have trusted Apollo as their care provider of choice. This new facility will allow us to serve even more people in the region,” said Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals.

This marks Apollo’s second hospital in Kolkata and its fifth in the eastern region, where it already operates more than 1,800 beds across Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, and Guwahati.