Apollo Hospitals will support healthcare startups with signed MoU with IBM

Apollo Hospitals has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the growing number of healthcare startups across India, The Financial Express has reported.

With a growing fund, rising from $50mn to $100mn, the country will initially provide $5mn, which will then rise to $10mn. Running an accelerator programme will therefore enable the company to further support the emerging number of healthtech companies.

Apollo Hospital’s partnership with IBM Watson Healthcare will also see the company further its work within artificial intelligence.

Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy explained: “We have always believed in using technology and we were the pioneers in the orthopaedic space to use advanced technology. We were also the first to introduce robotic surgery.

“We are also going to work with IBM Watson Healthcare in the artificial intelligence space. We are collaborating with few more companies where we are going to share intellectual property rights (IPR).”

The fund will also enable the development of a new onco-diagnostics system.

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The company has also worked on providing exceptional healthcare training across India and Africa. Developing a specialised training programme for paramedical staff from nine African countries, Apollo Hospital has previously trained over 100 medical doctors from 24 African countries.

The move comes as the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and African national governments look to further deepen ties in capacity building and training of health workers in multiple African nations.

Dr Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary (E&SA), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India said, “The programme will help strengthen the health systems of participating nations and it was our endeavour to expand it to other healthcare professionals.

Dr K Hariprasad, President - Hospitals Division, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, "This training program highlights the further deepening of the ties between MEA, Apollo and African Governments to strengthen healthcare human resources in the continent.

“Our commitment to the continent to strengthen its health systems, provide medical care of highest quality and partner, shoulder to shoulder in the rise of Africa remains steadfast. We hope that the training provided will benefit the health system and nationals of the delegate countries."