The construction of the Colombo Apollo Hospital, which is a branch of the famous Apollo Hospitals Group, in India will be completed in the next year, the CEO of the Lanka Hospital Corporation Dr. M. R. Girinath said yesterday. He said that the construction work which began six months ago is still underway and is expected to be over by mid 2001. This was revealed at a press conference to launch the Apollo Hospital Information Centre in Colombo.

The Managing Director of the information centre Mr. Prabakar said that the information centre will assist patients who wish to consult with medical practitioners at the hospital in Chennai with detailed information. The centre will assist thousands of patients seeking medical assistance at the Apollo Hospitals Group in Chennai, India for various aliments, most popularly for heart surgeries, the managing director said. "The information centre is set up to facilitate easy access to making appointments, getting cost estimates, visa entry to India, assisting with lodging and travel plans and follow up consultants", he said adding that the centre will even handle the mailing of X-rays of the patients to the doctors in India. The services of the hospital includes complex brain surgeries to full body check-ups.

Their next step will be establishing facilities for patients to get in touch with their doctors through video conferences before they left for India, he explained. The centre located in Colombo 2, will be opened from Monday to Friday at 9 in the morning to 4.30 in the evening.

Once the Apollo Hospital in Colombo is opened the centre will continue to assist patients who are in need of super specialities such as organ transplant surgeries. (IW)