Even amid the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, two Hyderabad-based doctors plan to open a hospital in the Guinean capital of Conakry, where the first case of the virus was reported in February. In a public-private partnership, A.M.V. Sai Kumar and Uday Rachakonda have entered into an agreement with the Government of Guinea to revive, operate and manage the local government hospital Jean Paul II.
The doctors, who have floated Livewell Healthcare, have obtained Private Equity funding from Exhilway Global Opportunities Private Equity Fund and would be spending close to Rs. 30 crore to set up a 250-bed hospital.
“We are doctors with a dream to have our own hospital. There is a need for quality healthcare in Guinea and we want to provide it. It’s our duty to serve and we are not worried about any outbreak or health emergency. We are in the process of recruiting nurses, paramedics and experienced doctors from India. Healthcare workers in India do not have any reservations to work in West Africa,” says Dr. Sai Kumar. Outpatient services at Livewell Jean Paul Hospitals are slated to be launched by the month-end. “The Government of Guinea has trust in us and gave us this opportunity. We have already shipped close to Rs. 3 crore worth of medical equipment from India. Till July, we were in Conakry and nothing happened to us. In another four to five months, we will offer all multi-specialities in Conakry,” said Dr. Uday Rachakonda.
Conakry receives a lot of visitors from neighbouring countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, the countries identified by WHO as the worst hit by the Ebola outbreak. Doctors pointed out that the reason for so many fatalities is lack of healthcare infrastructure and Ebola awareness among the locals.
“There is only one CT scan machine in Guinea and it costs around $250 for a single scan. There are only two private hospitals with combined bed strength of 35 and only three government hospitals. They are definitely 15 to 20 years behind us in medical infrastructure. We have also taken up the responsibility to train the local population in our hospital,” said the doctors, both of whom will fly to West Africain a week’s time.
