Apollo Hospitals to invest Rs 1,200 crore in oncology unit

Apollo Hospitals will be investing Rs 1,200 crore over the next three years in its oncology division which will now be an independent entity. The investment will be made into Apollo Cancer Institute (ACI), said Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice-Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group, here. In a press release, Reddy said the Group has re-branded the Cancer Hospitals in its chain of hospitals as ACI, which currently has nine centres with 700 super-specialist oncologists. 

"Though ACI will be an independent entity from now on, accounting could be separated after March 31. However, we will report on this in six months," she said. "Cancer currently contributes 20 to 22 per cent to the Hospital Division. 

In the next three years, an investment of Rs 1,200 crore will be made into oncology division. We are looking at 12 to 15 per cent volume increase in one year's time for cancer. The next Apollo Cancer Institute will be at Mumbai and we will further add centres," she said. The ACI is focused on three pronged strategy of prevention, early detection and treatment, Reddy said. 

This amalgamation of all cancer hospitals will help in sharing of knowledge, treatment modalities and best practices across the network for optimum treatment, uniformity of care, precision and best treatment outcomes, Reddy said. Treatment planning will be same across ACI centres, she added.