The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Ltd (AVP) has set up a 50-bedded hospital in Kilpauk Chennai. The facility will become operational by December 15, 2006 and the formal inauguration will take place after January 15, 2007.

AVP had taken a guesthouse on five-year lease and the operational cost for a year is expected to be around Rs 50 to 60 lakh.

The new facility will have a kitchen and all the facilities the other AVP centres have. In order to make the hospital fully functional, a marketing person has been employed. An eminent doctor has also been taken in to provide authentic treatment to the patients.

"We see a great potential in Chennai that is why we are venturing there. We have also appointed the chief physician for the hospital. This is an important operation for us," said Dr Prasad, AVP's Assistant director for administration and operations.

AVP also has plans to start a 250-bedded hospital in Coimbatore by 2008 and some hospitals out side India in the near future. There is also a proposal to set up a manufacturing unit abroad.

Speaking about the decision to send a three-member team from AVP to inspect the infrastructure and the building of the proposed ayurveda centre in Pakistan, Prasad said that they had not received the permission to meet and speak to the Pakistan government officials and discuss about the ayurveda centre. A representative of Mehrunnisa Welfare Trust was still there in Islamabad trying to resolve the issue.

As Pharmabiz had earlier reported, a delegation from AVP would go to Pakistan on a three day visit and meet the Pakistani government, National and local health department and the management of MWT. The team would also be inspecting the infrastructure and will make a presentation to the Ministry about the demand and globalisation of ayurveda.

The new venture is envisaged to create awareness on Ayurveda in Pakistan and at a later stage, will start Ayurvedic drug production and an Ayurvedic educational institution in Pakistan.