The Bangalore-based Manipal Cure and Care (MCC), one of the country's major health and wellness players, has announced its plans to launch its operations in Mumbai. The MCC will launch two centres in Mumbai in May this year.

MCC, an initiative of Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG), was formed in January 2007 with a seed capital of Rs 50 crore and launched its first centre in India at Ahmedabad in August last year, followed by a centre in Bangalore in February 2008. MCC Centres are established in two different formats across malls, neighbourhoods and high streets.

Somnath Das, COO, Manipal Cure and Care, said, "Our vision is to revolutionize healthcare delivery in India by providing preventive monitoring with a focus on wellness. We plan to open our own 50 centres by 2011 and will look at further expansion in Indian and global markets through our sub brands MASK, SMILE, Xpresscare and Foot Solutions and our own private labels. The Indian retail wellness market is unregulated and offers myriad products and services. Hence, the ACHSI certification would play a crucial role in the quality of service delivery".

Dr Satish Amarnath, medical director, Manipal Cure and Care, said, "We hope to create a niche through our unique differentiator of evidence-based preventive, wellness and beauty solutions in a friendly retail environment. MCC is the first company in India to offer service and counselling by well-trained doctors, healthcare professionals, and counsellors, backed by proven world-class technology and protocols and processes. The ACHSI certification demonstrates our commitment to continuous quality improvement and providing safe, quality care and customer satisfaction. We have effective systems in place that meet internationally recognized standards."

MCC is the first retail healthcare company in India to receive the ACHSI (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International) certificates. ACHSI has granted certification to MCC after a team of two surveyors did the pre-audit, followed by a team of surveyors who accessed 13 standards with 45 criteria covering clinical, support and corporate areas.

Dr Ranjan Pai, CEO, Manipal Education and Medical Group, and Somnath Das, COO, Manipal Cure and Care received the ACHSI (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International) certificate from Brian Johnston CEO, ACHSI, in the presence of Giridhar Gyani, secretary general, Quality Council of India.

MCC centres have consultants from the fields of general medicine, dermatology, dentistry, paediatrics, gynaecology, ophthalmology, endocrinology and lab medicine among others. Besides, MCC centres also have a well-stocked pharmacy.

It has plans to launch six centres in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad in the next six months.