Raffles Medical opens hospital in Chongqing, its first in China

The 700-bed RafflesHospital Chongqing will offer specialist services and centres of excellence in gastrointestinal surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, cardiovascular surgery, neuroscience and oncology. PHOTO: RAFFLES MEDICAL GROUP

SINGAPORE - Raffles Medical Group opened a 700-bed hospital in Chongqing, making it the group's first international tertiary hospital in the country, it said in a Singapore Exchange announcement before market open on Wednesday (Jan 2).

The group also has medical centres providing outpatient services in seven other Chinese cities.

The Chongqing hospital, which is owned and operated by the group, has a gross floor area of 100,000 square metres and when fully opened, will offer specialist services and centres of excellence in gastrointestinal surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, cardiovascular surgery, neuroscience and oncology.

It is located in the Liangjiang New Area in Chongqing and in the same district as the Chongqing International Airport.

Management staff from RafflesHospital Singapore will be seconded to RafflesHospital Chongqing, and some of the locally hired senior staff and doctors were posted to Singapore for attachment to ensure familiarity with the RafflesHospital model.

The company said in a statement: "Apart from providing quality healthcare to the rising middle and upper income population in Chongqing, the hospital aims to meet a currently unmet demand for international quality healthcare service in Chongqing and its surrounding regions. RafflesHospital Chongqing will also be meeting the healthcare needs of the increasing number of foreigners working and setting up their bases in Chongqing for the region."

The Chongqing Hospital brings the group's presence to 14 cities across Asia, including eight cities in China.

The group will also open a second hospital in Shanghai in 2019, in Qiandan in Pudong district.

Loo Choon Yong, executive chairman of RafflesMedicalGroup, said in a statement: "This is an exciting time for us at Raffles as we have been looking at the healthcare space in China for some time. We are committed to bring the Raffles brand of quality, peer-reviewed healthcare to China through RafflesHospital Chongqing and, in time to come, RafflesHospital Shanghai."

Raffles Medical closed on Dec 31 at $1.10.

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