Indian Health Care Sector to grow 20%

India healthcare
By 2011 India is INR 8861000 crore (US$ 1846 billion) economy of
which healthcare is a INR 240000 crore (US$ 50 billion) industry and is expected to grow up to INR 900000 crore (US$ 200 billion) by 2020.
Indian healthcare industry has distinct merits of clinical excellence and low costs. This sector tenders much potential to health careplayers as there are frequent lifestyle-related and other diseases in the country. The increasing elderly population and increase in income levels are also urging for betterfacilities in the industry.


Despite severe global recession and meltdown Indian economy seems to be doing reasonably well. Even at the height of recession the sectors like food, health and education were insulated and they havecontinued to grow. It is also interesting to note that the State and Central Government has realised led to the huge investments in the sectors during the last two budgets. It is expected that in the ensuing budget, lot ofimpetus will be given to health care.


According to a study by Mckinsey and the Confederation of Indian Industry, medicaltourism in India could become a US $2-billion industry by 2013. Credit Suisse estimates medical tourism to be growing at about 25-30 per cent annually. Indian hospitals are fastbecoming the first choice for an increasing number of foreign tourists.


According a report by Deloitte, a financial advisory, audit and consulting firm, in 2010, about 550,000 patients from abroad have visited India for medical treatment. Themain reason behind, would be cost-cutting because medical costs are four to five timeslesser in India than US. Anti-aging procedures such as neck lifts andface lifts and liposuction procedures are some of the most sought-after cosmeticprocedures in India and on an average, cost barely 25 per cent of what they cost in theUK.



Health Insurance
The earnings of the people in the business services sector goes up to US$ 20,000 a year while that of nearly 150 million Indians have annual income of more than US$1,000.
There is a tremendous scope for growth in the health insurance sector, as the sector atpresent covers only 10% of the entire Indian population. According to a study by theChamber of Commerce and Industry, the health insurance sector is expected to grow to US$6.75 billion by 2014.

Healthcare and IT
Hospitals have realised that information technology (IT) can be an effective tooltowards efficient systems. According to a report by Springboard Research, India has thefastest growing healthcare IT market in Asia, with an expected growth rate of 20 per cent,followed closely by China and Vietnam. In fact, the Indian healthcare technology market ispoised to be worth more than US$ 254 million by 2013.

Beyond Cost Advantage

However, the Indian healthcare is not about cost advantage only.
It has a high successrate and a growing credibility.
* Indian specialists have performed over 500,000 major surgeries and over a millionother surgical procedures including cardio-thoracic, neurological and cancer surgeries,with success rates at par with international standards.
* The success rate of cardiac bypass in India is 98.7 per cent against 97.5 per cent inthe U.S.
* India's success in 110 bone marrow transplants is 80 per cent.
* The success rate in 6,000 renal transplants is 95 per cent.
* India has the second highest number of qualified doctors in the world.


INVESTMENTS
According to a study of Confederation of Indian Industry (CM), the Indian healthcareindustry will need INR 24000 crore US$ 50 billion annually for the next 10 years. Similarly, the Technopak Advisor's report says it may require immediate investments of INR 39360 crore US$ 82 billion for making additional beds in the industry.

In order to meet the demand for healthcare in India and improve the availability of hospital beds and doctors, India's infrastructure will need to be improved significantly.CII-McKinsey also estimates that 20% of the additional beds will be required for specialty healthcare needs such as cancer and cardiac diseases in view of the growing incidence ofsuch diseases.
So which companies are to benefit from this
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd ISIN: INE437A01024
Kovai Medical Center & Hospital Ltd ISIN: INE177F01017

Fortis Healthcare (India) Ltd ISIN: INE061F01013
Indraprastha Medical Corporation Ltd ISIN: INE681B01017