OYO's Ritesh Agarwal to set up 5 healthcare centres in Odisha by 2024

Ritesh Agarwal, the founder and CEO of the travel-tech platform OYO, announced the establishment of five healthcare centres in Odisha over the next year.

The centres will be operated by the health-tech startup 'Last Mile Care', which already runs 11 health centres across India.

Agarwal said, “As we navigate the ever-evolving healthcare landscape, collaboration between healthcare providers, tech innovators, policymakers, and communities is paramount. By fostering an environment conducive to innovation and investing in initiatives such as these, we are doing our bit to ensure that quality medical services become accessible to everyone.” 

The company, in an official release, said it would provide free doctor consultations for the first three months and discounted treatment and medicine for everyone during the first six months. However, it has given no clarity on any charitable treatments after the first six months are over.

It is unclear whether the treatments or the medicines during the first three months will be free or discounted.

The company did not disclose the budget plan for setting up these five healthcare centres. 

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The centres will have a team of doctors with specialisation in gynaecology, eye diseases and heart diseases. A pharmacy will also be available to offer complete healthcare solutions to patients, the company claimed. The services include preventive care, diagnostic services, primary healthcare services, treatment for minor illnesses, professional consultation, referral services, affordable medication, and digital health record facilities.

The first centre, the Ramesh and Bela Agarwal Healthcare Center, was inaugurated by Jagannath Saraka, the state minister for SC & ST Development, Minorities and Backward Class Welfare and Law. The centre has been named in honour of Ritesh Agarwal's parents, the late Ramesh Agarwal and Bela Agarwal.

"The strategic placement of these centres aims to cover regions with limited access to healthcare facilities, thereby bridging the gap between healthcare services and marginalised populations," the company stated.