Telegraph reports that AMRI hospital plans to set up a state of the art hospital in Bhubaneswar. Following are excerpts of that report.

AMRI Hospitals today unveiled its ambitious expansion plan to set up four state-of-the-art hospitals in four state capitals — Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, Raipur and Patna.

Each of the four hospitals will be set up with an initial investment of over Rs 110 crore, with room for future expansion. …

AMRI Hospitals, a joint venture between Emami and Shrachi group of industries, is venturing out of Calcutta for the first time.

… Aditya Agarwal, director, told The Telegraph that the first of the four hospitals will come up at Bhubaneswar.

The hospital will come up at Khandagiri Square, a prime location in Bhubaneswar and will have 300 beds initially.

“It will come up on 5 acres. Initially, it will be a five storey affair, but we have plans and enough room for further expansion,” Agarwal said and added that the hospital at Bhubaneswar is expected to start operation by 2009.

It will have, apart from facilities available at any multi-speciality hospital of international standard, super-speciality thrust on cardiology, orthopaedics and neurology, Agarwal claimed.

“Our hospital in Bhubaneswar will have emergency and outdoor facilities. We will deploy most sophisticated equipment and staff, including doctors, there. It will also have state-of-the-art ICCU, ITU and NITU and life-support systems,” the director informed.

Apart from giving people access to ‘healthcare facilities of international standard’, the hospital will also generate a lot of job opportunities, he claimed.

“The hospital in Bhubaneswar will initially have some 1,000 employees, including medical, para-medical and non-medical staff. The first preference will obviously be to recruit local people. …

Among other facilities, the hospital will have a parking bay, cafeterias and playground to mention only a few standard facilities available in any major hospital, he said.

“We have earmarked an estimated Rs 120 crore on this hospital. However, more investment will be made according to the requirement for future expansion.”

“The foundation laying ceremony at Bhubaneswar will be held on July 14. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, finance minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadai, industry minister Biswabhusan Harichandan, minister of works and housing A.U. Singh Deo and health minister Duryodhan Majhi will be present on the occasion,” Agarwal informed. …

Agarwal added that AMRI Hospitals, a joint venture between Emami and Sharachi groups, has plans to establish at least one medical college in one of the four state capitals.

“Talks in that direction are on. We also plan to have some specialised medical and nursing training facilities. A decision on this matter will be taken soon,” he declared.

(Thanks to Jibanendra babu and Orissa Today google group for pointer to this report.)