The Bangalore based Manipal Cure and Care (MCC), an initiative of Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG), is planning to invest Rs 250 crore for setting up total 50 wellness centres across India by 2011. For the initial two years it has plans to set up 20 centres out of 50, and remaining centres are expected to be commissioned by 2011.

For the initial period expansion company will arrange funds from internal accruals and later on it will arrange funds from a leading private equity funding firm. The company has not disclosed the name of the firm.

The objective of the wellness centre is to offer healthcare services with a clinical touch which is backed by state of the art technology in a relaxed and friendly environment. It offers preventive healthcare check-ups as well advice. It also provides healthcare products and beauty treatment under one roof. Its many of the centres will be well stockist with the pharmacy stores.

MCC will operate its wellness centres on a lease basis which will cost around Rs 5 crore for each centre. It has already opened its first wellness centre in Mumbai and in the next 2-3 months, two more wellness centres will be opened at Ghatkopar and Mulund in Mumbai. It has plans to open two more new centres in Bangalore and one each in Pune and Ahmedabad.

At present, MCC is offering an entire range of wellness services which includes immunization, antenatal care, baby care, adolescent care, eye care, hormonal management and dietary consultation. It has various consultants from general medicine, dermatology, dentistry, paediatrics, gynaecology, ophthalmology, endocrinology and lab medicine. The company will be providing similar services to its upcoming centres also. MCC has also tied up with several insurance companies which will provide health insurance to its customers.

To avoid spurious drug supply in pharmacy stores, it has a centre of electronic medical record and integration of cumulative index for medical specialists and pharmaceutical drug interaction alerts.

Speaking to Pharmabiz, Somnath Das, chief operating officer said, "We have finalised our plan to open centres in Mulund and Ghatkopar. We are looking for setting up new centres at Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai and Calcutta. In another three years time we will be having our 50 wellness centres and 100 pharmacy stores across India. We are ready to work on a franchisee basis. The company will establish strong IT backups for avoiding counterfeits drugs at pharmacy stores".

The company is in talks with some international players for the introduction of more than 400 product lines in the domestic market. All the new products will be for cosmeceutical and nutraceuticals rage, which are clinically researched and manufactured at US FDA approved plants.