Business

Tuesday July 28, 2009

Qualitas set to lead as regional healthcare group


KUALA LUMPUR: Qualitas Medical Group Ltd is set to become the leading regional healthcare services group through its recent acquisitions of clinics and dental centres in India and New Zealand.

“It is our vision to grow the group into a leading regional healthcare group,” said Qualitas’ founder, chairman and managing director Datuk Dr Noorul Ameen Mohamed Ishack.

“Since our listing in September 2008, we have been working on scaling up our Malaysian operations and pursuing growth opportunities in the region,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Qualitas announced on June 30, 2009, that it had completed the acquisition of 48% stake in Peak Primary Ltd (PPL), a New Zealand primary healthcare chain, for NZ$2.5mil (about RM5.2mil). Separately, it also announced that it has acquired a 40% stake in V.V. Dentistree India Pte Ltd, a specialised dental care chain in South India, for 20 million Indian rupees (about RM1.48mil).

These acquisitions will add three primary healthcare clinics in New Zealand and five dental centres in Chennai, South India, to the group’s regional network. – Bernama

In addition to its Malaysian operations, the group currently has a clinic with diagnostic facilities in India and three affiliate clinics in Cambodia.

According to Dr Noorul Ameen, the acquisition of a strategic stake in PPL will enable Qualitas to enter New Zealand, a new market, and gain a foothold in the Australasia region.

“In India, our strategic stake in Dentistree not only strengthens our existing presence but also marks our foray into the field of dentistry, which

complements our existing diagnostic services,” he said.

Dr Noorul Ameen said despite the challenging economic environment, Qualitas

was confident that the demand for essential primary healthcare services in the

region remained resilient. – Bernama

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