Earth Hospital Group, a chain of multi-specialty ayurvedic hospitals has set apart an investment of Rs. 15 crore to set up 50 centres across Karnataka. The funds will be raised through internal accruals. The Group is also scouting for investments from venture capital and private equity for its pan India expansion.

Plans are to expand its chain, primarily through the franchise route. It has now appointed a super franchise for Karnataka at Bangalore which will be the focal point for initiation of branches for further expansion in the state.

Currently it is Karnataka’s largest multi-specialty Ayurvedic hospital focusing on preventive and curative treatment for chronic and lifestyle diseases. For the recently commissioned hospital in Bangalore it invested Rs. 1.5 crore. This takes its total number of hospitals in Karnataka to four. Three centres in Karnataka are at Tumkur, Udupi and Mangalore. Two other hospitals are at Kottayam and Hyderabad. The group which now has six hospitals plans to start one each at Mysore, Hubli and Mandya next year.

Earth Hospital Group was founded in 2001 by Dr. Anish M Kurias who hails from a family of Ayurveda acharyas practicing Ayurveda since 1870 in Kerala. The group hails from the traditional 'Kurias Visha-Vaidya' family having knowledge passed on for five generations and recognized for quality treatment adhering to principles of the ayurvedic science.

“Karnataka is an emerging healthcare and medical tourism hub. Now that we have a super franchise in place for the state we look forward to grow our presence faster. In the next two months, we hope to see a fund infusion from potential investors,” stated Dr Anish M Kurias, chairman, Earth Hospital Group.

“We have chalked an expansion plan to add on 50 centres. An in-house survey has ascertained the demand for the Indian System of Medicine particularly ayurveda,” he added.

The hospital, provides out-patient and in-patient ayurvedic medical services, including diagnosis and cure for serious medical conditions, under one single roof. These include cardiac disorders, skin disorders, diabetes, degenerative joints, disorders of the head and neck, besides preventive, wellness packages for lifestyle disorders such as infertility, job hazards, obesity, computer vision syndrome, skin nourishment and memory fitness among others. The facility will offer ‘monomedi’, a onetime ayurvedic remedy for migraine, running nose and arthritis.

Dr K S Chaithanya, managing director, Super Franchise for Karnataka, said, “Opening of the hospital in Bangalore marks the first major milestone in our partnership and we look forward to opening 20 similar hospitals across the state in the next two years.”