HALE AND HEARTY
Meena Ganesh, 53 MD and CEO, Portea Medical
After her exit from Tutorvista in the education field, entrepreneur Meena Ganesh decided to explore the healthcare industry, “as the next big area which required some significant disruption.” Portea came about “as a value-adding service at home beyond hospitals” in 2013. Ganesh also points out that although India is considered a young country, about 120 million of our population is elderly and 50 per cent of deaths in India are due to chronic diseases. “There’s clearly a confluence between chronic diseases and ageing and in a situation like this, providing healthcare as a long-term solution at home is critical,” she says. An 85-year-old stroke patient that she visited recently recovered almost fully from her bedridden state after the required care was administered to her post surgery at home.“If you look at a city like Hyderabad, several youngsters are abroad with old parents left behind. In such a situation, it is imperative for a ‘health manager’ of sorts in whose care they can be trusted,” says Ganesh. With a sound medical foundation and backed by highend technology, Portea has rapidly emerged as a comprehensive home health service provider in several Indian cities. Their recent tie-ups with the Hyderabad-based Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute has further strengthened their presence in Hyderabad. “Our association with several top-end hospitals across the country has enabled us to understand the needs of patients post hospitalisation more comprehensively, which has impacted several lives,” says Ganesh. She finds it “overwhelming” and “deeply humbling” to have played a part. Webite portea.com