Apollo Hospitals aims to have international presence by providing operational support to hospitals instead of opting for acquisition route for now.

The company is working on two hospital projects in Nigeria, one heart hospital each in Shanghai and Vienna, besides one in Mauritius. Though Apollo Hospitals has not made any investment in any of these projects it has the option of taking equity in these hospitals in the long term.

Speaking at the launch of super-specialty cancer hospital in Hyderabad, Prathap C Reddy, chairman of Apollo Hospitals said, “I was about to buy a chain of hospitals in the UK but if I had bought it, then I would have put a rope around my neck. We are not going to invest overseas anymore. We will only commission international projects with the option of taking equity at a later stage. India alone is a huge market where the health industry needs to add at least 1 lakh beds per annum for the next decade.”

Reddy also denied reports about Apollo Hospitals buying a stake in Coimbatore-based Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital. He said, “I am not aware of any such talks between the two companies.”

Reddy further said in the next financial year Apollo Hospitals would focus on integrating Ayurveda with medical treatments. To start with, it has invested Rs 20 crore towards development of an Ayurveda research institute in Hyderabad. Apollo Hospitals has tied up with a Kerala-based Ayurveda company, but Reddy declined to identify the company.

“We will conduct research in our hospitals across the country to achieve scientific validation. Once we will achieve this, we will evaluate setting up a chain of ayurveda centres to provide treatment," added Reddy.

Apollo Hospitals will add 11 new hospitals in the next financial year in India. The company has earmarked an investment of Rs 1,800 crore towards expansion plans and up gradation of existing hospitals. Apollo Hospitals aims to add 2,000 beds in the next financial year.

At present, it has 8,800 beds across 51 hospitals. Besides in Chennai and Hyderabad, the super-specialty cancer hospitals are coming up in New Delhi and Kolkata.