India's Global Hospitals sets up base in Kenya

Within months of Metropolis Health of Mumbai setting up shop in Kenya's capital, another Indian medicare provider is set to enter the East African market.

India's Global Hospitals is partnering with Kenya's upmarket Karen hospital in Nairobi to offer specialised urological and kidney care to the region's patients. 

The Indian doctors, who have pitched tent at the Kenyan hospital since some weeks, are offering consultations on subsidised rates. They are working closely with Kenyan doctors, giving advice and conducting tests on patients, many of whom cannot afford the high fees usually charged by Kenyan experts.

With a reputation for advanced knowledge and wide experience in treating complicated "lifestyle" diseases such as those afflicting kidneys and the heart, the Indian doctors offer a rare opportunity for affordable quality treatment -- and patients are flocking the hospital in their hundreds to take advantage.

Global Hospitals, which has been treating East Africans seeking relatively affordable healthcare in its facilities in Chennai and Mumbai, is taking advantage of the partnership to publicise its services in the whole region through advertisements in newspapers in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. These countries have a combined population of close to 150 million people.

As a result, patients have been coming in from all the four countries, now attracted by the convenience of not having to travel to India for consultations.

"We want to take advantage of this partnership with Global Hospitals and see what we can jointly achieve in offering affordable but top quality medicare for kidney and urology patients," Betty Gikonyo, chief executive Karen hospital, told IANS.

According to the doctor, patients with unusually complicated cases will be treated at Global's hospitals in India, while less complicated cases will be handled here at Karen hospital by experts from both health providers.

"This is a good thing for us as it affords patients to be attended by some of the best experts in the world, while at the same time exposing our doctors to world class experience by working hand-in-hand with the Indian specialists," Gikonyo said.

Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria have the highest number of African patients visiting hospitals in India for heart, kidney and cancer-related care, drawn by its world class medical experts available at fees relatively cheaper compared to similar services in the western world.

Two Indian medicare companies Metropolis Health Care (MHC) and Care Institute Medical Services (CIMS) hospital have recently made forays into Kenya to tap into the health needs of the growing middle-class of a country that is the biggest economy in East Africa.

MHC has invested $500,000 on the now operational Nairobi laboratories, with another $5 million set aside for setting up another five labs in major towns in the country. CIMS is planning to set up an out-patient unit in Nairobi in the near future to cater to patients who have to travel to India to access healthcare services there.