Ayala Corp. is investing P10 billion in the healthcare business, ahead of the Philippines’ exit from the coronavirus pandemic.
Of the amount, about 80 percent had been deployed, with the rest fully committed.
Ayala said AC Health “has built an ecosystem that caters to the various healthcare needs of Filipinos.”
Paolo Borromeo, AC Health president, said the company’s portfolio comprises Generika, a chain of 700 drugstores that offer quality and affordable generic medicines;Healthway Philippines, the country’s largest clinic network; QualiMed Health Network, which operates mall-based multi-specialty clinics, stand-alone ambulatory or day surgery centers, and full-service hospitals; and HealthNow, an all-in-one healthcare app that offers telemedicine consultations, online medicine ordering and delivery, and clinic and diagnostic testing booking.
AC Health also has a health technology arm, Vigos, as well as medicine importation and distribution arms, IE Medica and MedEthix.
As the country looks toward an exit from the pandemic, Borromeo said AC Health will continue to invest “in improving healthcare in the Philippines.”
“Last month, AC Health officially broke ground for the construction of Healthway Cancer Care Center, the Philippines’ first dedicated specialty cancer hospital.
The 100-bed facility, which is expected to be completed in July 2023, will offer a complete range of cancer services from screening, diagnosis, treatment to post-cancer care,” Borromeo said.
The P2-billion facility will be equipped with 20 chemotherapy chairs, four operating theaters, and the most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, optimized for cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment.
The Ayala Group has partnered with Varian-CTSI, a leading oncology service provider, to develop and operate the facility.
Beyond the cancer hospital, AC Health aims to leverage its integrated healthcare network to expand its oncology services like a hub-and-spoke modelto drive access to affordable cancer care for patients across the country, Borromeo said.
“As such, Healthway and QualiMed will serve as ‘spokes’ of the model and extensions of the cancer hospital ‘hub’. This provides patients more avenues to seek consultation and have easier access to cancer screening and detection. The vision of this model is to provide impact and solutions to the many Filipinos in need of cancer services,” Borromeo said.
