Sector structure/Market size

The healthcare industry in the country, which comprises hospital and allied sectors, is projected to grow 23 per cent per annum to touch US$ 77 billion by 2012 from the current estimated size of US$ 35 billion, according to a Yes Bank and an industry body report published in November 2009. The sector has registered a growth of 9.3 per cent between 2000-2009, comparable to the sectoral growth rate of other emerging economies such as China, Brazil and Mexico. According to the report, the growth in the sector would be driven by healthcare facilities, both private and public sectors, medical diagnostic and pathlabs and the medical insurance sector. According to the report, diagnostics would contribute US$ 2.5 billion to the healthcare industry by 2012.

An increasing number of public and private healthcare facilities are expected to propel demand for the industry, accounting for another US$ 6.7 billion in this period.

As per a study by an industry body and Ernst & Young, India would require another 1.75 million beds by the end of 2025. The public sector however is likely to contribute only around 15-20 per cent of the required US$ 86 billion investment. The corporate India is therefore, leveraging on this business potential and various health care brands have started aggressive expansion in the country. Some of the companies that plan to increase their footprints include Anil Ambani’s Reliance Health, the Hindujas, Sahara Group, Emami, Apollo Tyres and the Panacea Group.

Sahara Group is planning several healthcare projects such as a 200-bed multi-specialty tertiary care hospital at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, a 1,500-bed multi super-specialty, tertiary care hospital at Aamby Valley City and 30-bed multi-speciality secondary care hospitals across all the 217 Sahara City Homes Townships.

Meanwhile, Artemis Health Sciences (AHS), a health care venture of the Apollo Tyres Group, is also planning to establish four to eight multi-specialty hospitals in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana over the next three years.

The rural healthcare sector is also on an upsurge. The Rural Health Survey Report 2009, released by the Ministry of Health, stated that during the last five years rural health sector has been added with around 15,000 health sub-centres and 28,000 nurses and midwives. The report further stated that the number of primary health centres have increased by 84 per cent, taking the number to 20,107.

Health Insurance

The Indian health insurance market has emerged as a new and lucrative growth avenue for both the existing players as well as the new entrants. According to a latest research report "Booming Health Insurance in India" by research firm RNCOS released in April, 2010, the health insurance market represents one the fastest growing and second largest non-life insurance segment in the country. The Indian health insurance market has posted record growth in the last two fiscals (2008-09 and 2009-10). Moreover, as per the report, the health insurance premium is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 25 per cent for the period spanning from 2009-10 to 2013-14.

According to the Yes bank and an industry body report published in November 2009, the medical insurance sector would account for US$ 3 billion by 2012.