GE Healthcare to spend $300 mn on affordable solutions

GE Healthcare, a subsidiary of US-based conglomerate General Electric, will invest $300 million over the next five years to deliver affordable care solutions across South Asia, including India, and Africa, a senior executive said.

The company delivers health care equipment and technology services that are aimed at reducing the cost of care using digital technologies. The firm has also partnered with 11 organisations to provide technical skills to medical professionals.

While it has trained nearly 6,500 people through skill enhancement programmes, GE Healthcare aims to train 10,000 people annually to extend better health care solutions in smaller cities and towns.

“We will invest nearly $300 million across India and South Asian countries to extend our cost-effective health care solutions. For example, we are working on a cost-effective imaging facility (CT scan) which will reduce the cost for CT scan by 40 per cent. Affordable incubation facility for premature babies will reduce the infant mortality rate,” said Terri Bresenham, president & chief executive officer, Sustainable Healthcare Solutions, GE Healthcare.

The company is primarily focusing on bringing in affordable care through digitalisation of diagnostics information. Such equipment and technologies will be designed and manufactured in India. “We will be coming up with, later this year, a costeffective incubation facility designed and manufactured here in Bangalore,” said Bresenham.

She believes India’s model can potentially revolutionise health care delivery in the rest of the world with low-cost and quality care. GE Healthcare also aims to create a pool of quality medical professionals to extend better care beyond urban areas. The company is co-creating programmes and solutions with the Healthcare Sector Skill Council and medical institutions.