Dubai’s Majid Al Futtaim partners with Indian healthcare provider

Dubai’s Majid Al Futtaim Healthcare, the healthcare arm of UAE-based developer Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Holding, has entered into a strategic partnership with Indian hospital chain Fortis Healthcare to manage the clinics at its malls across the region, it was announced on Wednesday.

The first facility, a Day Care Specialty Clinic located in Deira City Centre is expected to open in the first half of 2013, but the deal will also include operating additional healthcare facilities at MAF’s assets across the Middle East.

The clinic will provide medical care to areas such as Bur Dubai, Karama, Oud Metha, Al Qusais and Al Sharjah and will have full-time consultants in Internal Medicine, Gynecology, Pediatrics, General Surgery, Endocrinology, Cardiology, Neurology, Dermatology & Cosmetics, Gastroenterology, Orthopedics, ENT, Ophthalmology and Dental, among other specialties.

"We see tremendous opportunity for healthcare services in the GCC region and are excited about our group's foray in healthcare. Majid Al Futtaim Healthcare's association with Fortis gives us a partner widely acknowledged in the Asian region for its expertise in managing different healthcare delivery verticals and in running top class medical facilities that include diagnostic centres, primary care, day care specialty centres, and hospitals. Fortis' knowledge and medical insights in conjunction with our ambitious plans will bring better healthcare to the region," said Ahmed Galal Ismail, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Ventures, a division of MAF Holding.

Fortis operates in 11 countries, including Australia, Canada, UAE, Hong Kong, India, Mauritius, Nepal, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, with 76 hospitals, over 12,000 beds, over 600 primary care centres, 194 day care specialty centres and a staff or around 23,000 people.

MAF currently operates eleven malls in the UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Egypt and two currently under development in Cairo, Egypt and Beirut, Lebanon.