Prathima Hospitals, which now has a chain of three hospitals with a bed strength of 1,500, has roped in film stars Saif Ali Khan and Karina Kapoor, as brand ambassadors, as it embarks upon a Rs 350-crore expansion drive.

“With three hospitals in Telangana, wherein the company invested about Rs 200 crore, including two in Hyderabad, one of which was acquired, we are looking at setting up a chain of hospitals in various district headquarters in the State. This will be a combination of acquisition-lead growth and our own hospitals,” Harini Boinipally, Managing Director of Prathima Hospitals, said.

After visiting one of Prathima hospitals in the city, Karina Kapoor said, “This was for the first time she was featuring as a brand ambassador with Saif. We decided to be part of the hospital chain, as this is for a noble cause.”

“We are planning to set up hospital in every district headquarters in the State. The idea is to ensure people get best healthcare within their district without having to travel to Hyderabad. Typically, each hospital will have about 50-100 beds initially and may be ramped up later,” Boinipally said.

As part of the expansion, which will be self-funded, Prathima is planning to set up a Rs 100-crore cancer hospital in Warangal.

“The site has been identified, and we will soon begin works. This will be a fully integrated cancer care facility,’’ she said.

Having acquired Mamatha Hospital in Hyderabad, the Prathima management is looking at similar acquisitions in a couple of other locations.

“At every location a hospital is set up, we will make local doctors partners in the project offering them 30 per cent equity in that project,” she said.

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