The Apollo Hospitals Group is setting up two joint venture hospital projects -- one each in Fiji and Mauritius -- at a proposed investment of $35 million and $40 million respectively.

The group, which has a presence in 38 locations in India and a few locations abroad, is also eyeing the Africa for its overseas foray.

Speaking to the media, Pratap C Reddy, executive chairman, Apollo Hospitals, said the group would hold a 10 per cent stake in the 250-bedded hospital that will be set up in Fiji, and a 26 per cent equity in the 200-bedded hospital project proposed in Mauritius.

The governments and local partners of the two countries were expected to participate in these two projects. Besides, the group was providing technical expertise to a couple of hospital projects in Tanzania and Jamaica.

Apart from overseas projects, it was also planning to set up four more hospitals in the country, two in Mumbai, and one each in Bangalore and Bhubaneswar, he added.

While the time frame for the Mumbai projects is yet to be finalised, the proposed super-speciality hospital in Bangalore will be completed by mid-October this year.

The Bhubaneswar project would be ready in the next two years, Reddy said. The group is also planning to launch 50 more clinics across the country taking the total number of its clinics to 100 this year.

Apollo has announced that the Acute Stroke (brain attack) programme at its Hyderabad hospital has received the Joint Commission International's accreditation after meeting the 1,033 measurable elements.

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