Apollo Hospitals Group, in association with MSD Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, a subsidiary of US

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drug major Merck & Co, will set up "Sugar Clinics" to tackle diabetes in the country.

The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect here today.

Under the joint initiative, Apollo will provide the clinical infrastructure while MSD would supply products and processes.

Apollo Group Chairman Pratap C Reddy said it was proposed to set up 200 sugar clinics across the country.

With each clinic costing up to Rs 25 lakh, the entire programme involves an investment of over Rs 40 crore.

"We will set up 50 clinics in the next six months", Reddy said adding that all Apollo hospitals in the country would start offering these facilities in a month's span.

At present, two such clinics are operational in Hyderabad on a pilot basis. There is also a proposal to launch stand-alone sugar clinics where the incidence of diabetes is high.

"This is a war against diabetes which are reached epidemic level in the country", MSD Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Naveen A Rao said.