The Apollo Hospital group is in talks with the State Bank of India (SBI) to help its patients avail loans for expensive treatments and surgeries.

The soon to be announced alliance, which is likely in one or two weeks, would help needy patients to avail loans up to a maximum of two lakh rupees, beginning from a minimum of half a lakh rupees. Once the tie-up is finalised, the facility would be first extended to Apollo's Chennai hospitals, and later to its other hospitals in its network in different parts of the country.

All the patients of the Apollo network, diagnosed with serious illness which demand expensive treatment, or like referred for surgeries like open heart and kidney replacement, would be eligible to avail the loans, though given in accordance to the discretion of the bank, said sources.

As per the arrangement, the patient have to approach his/her nearest SBI branch with relevant medical documents, and the loan could be availed within few days as per the bank's loan disbursing modalities. Even if the patient is referred to a distant Apollo branch, he/she will have to avail the loan from the branch nearest to the patient's residence.

Details of the tie-up and the specific medical conditions that could be covered under the scheme and other modalities were in the process of finalization. The SBI is also in the process of working out the interest rates and repayment schedule, said sources.