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GHI unveils Dh100 million expansion programme

DUBAI — Gulf Healthcare International (GHI) has unveiled a Dh100 million programme to expand healthcare facilities in the UAE. The healthcare provider plans to open six Amber Clinics in Dubai and Abu Dhabi during the next six months.

Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, inaugurated the first Amber Clinics at Rigga Road on Thursday. The new 22,000 square feet facility will offer a wide range of medical services and is built with an estimated investment of Dh25 million.

“Amber Clinics are targeting middle to higher income groups and all nationalities. We have plans to open more clinics in other parts of Dubai and Abu Dhabi next year to ensure quality and affordable healthcare facilities for all,” Mark Adams, chief executive officer of GHI, told Khaleej Times.

“We have been very careful to bring together a first-class medical team which is as diverse as the local community with European, Indian, Arabic and Filipino doctors but all united with a commitment to quality assured healthcare and genuine care for our patients,” Adams said adding that advantage of Amber Clinics is through scale it can offer top quality healthcare, but at mid-range prices.

Amber Clinics will open organically and by acquisition and will have over 500,000 patients by early 2012. Staffed with medical experts across fifteen specialty and primary care departments and supported by over 50 nurses and auxiliaries, the set up will have two on-site quality accredited laboratories offering fast, accurate test results and a state-of-the-art physiotherapy rehabilitation unit.

“The set-up at Rigga Road is the first of six clinics opening over the next six months in the UAE and will join our established Amber Clinic centre in Kuwait, in raising standards in primary care,” said Linda Marshall, 
Chief Operating Officer of GHI.

“We have been developing the concept of large polyclinics with minor surgery, endoscopic suites, physiotherapy rehabilitation and up to 20 doctors practicing under one roof, for some time,” she added.

J.P. Morgan investment

The healthcare company, which also has healthcare network in Kuwait, announced that two private equity funds managed by J.P. Morgan Asset Management have made a strategic investment in the company. Replacing the Varkey Group as shareholders, J.P Morgan Asset Management has joined other shareholders that will help sustain the strategic growth plans for the business.

“It is a great testament to the strategy and performance of all of our brands that an investor of J.P. Morgan’s pedigree would choose to back our team, we look forward to rewarding their confidence with continued strong performance in this sector,” Adams said.

Regional expansion, acquisition

As a part of the expansion plan, GHI also acquires three existing medical practices known as Dr Joseph’s Clinics. These clinics offer a wide variety of primary healthcare services and have a substantial local following of over 300,000 patients.

The new centre at Rigga Road and the acquisition of the 26 year old ‘Dr Joseph Clinics’ signals the start of the company’s ambitious expansion programme of organic and inorganic growth and comes within a few months of the inauguration of the region’s first dedicated occupational health facility which was set up in March by the group at an estimated cost of Dh30 million.

Adams said the GIH now has approaching 30 medical practices across the GCC. “Concentrating initially on the UAE and Kuwait, but we have plans to expand into other keys areas of the region in the coming years,” 
he said.

He said the GHI has developed a house of brands; Medsol Diagnostics with leading pathology and radiology centres in 15 locations and a growing network of clinics under the Adara, Amber and Atria brands. GHI also has the region’s leading occupational health centre.

“Adara practices will be community health centres with typically six doctors providing day to day medicine to individuals and families. These practices will operate to high standards but will focus on affordable healthcare to the largest demographic in the 
region.”

He said the acquisitions of Dr Ahmeds ‘Al Noor’ practices in Dubai and Sharjah as well as the recent acquisition of the three Dr Josephs practices will move into the Adara brand.

“Amber practices in Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaima and Kuwait are much larger multi specialty centres with up to 20 doctors under one roof. These centers compete with the best practices in the region with child friendly, well equipped practices but still trying to be competitive in price,” Adams concluded.

muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com