Watch: From one clinic to 455 health care facilities - Aster’s Azad Moopen marks 35 years in UAE
Indian expat from Kerala launches new initiative to bring healthcare to patients' homes
Dubai: From a humble beginning of one clinic with one doctor at Al Rafa, Dubai, started on December 11, 1987, the Aster DM health care group has grown to 455 facilities in 35 years, to become the largest healthcare provider in GCC countries and India. As the group commemorated its 35th foundation day last evening, it launched a new campaign, 'Care is just an Aster away’, and unveiled its new corporate logo on the Burj Khalifa.
Addressing a select gathering, Dr Azad Moopen, founder, chairman and managing director of Aster DM HealthCare, said his group was committed to providing affordable healthcare to all. “Today, we have a presence of 27 hospitals, 126 clinics and 302 pharmacies spread across seven countries. We serve over 20 million patients in these countries. In India, we have rolled out 77 Aster pharmacies, nine Aster labs, clinics and home care facilities. We want to go a step ahead and bring health care home to each and every individual.”
Telemedicine platform
Speaking to Gulf News about the new initiative, Dr Moopen said, “We are turning our attention to digitalising health care. Our telemedicine platform will beam into the homes of patients, where they can avail consultation at home, have their medicine delivered by our pharmacy and get health care without having to leave their home. We are also committed to providing health care for all income groups. No one will be denied health care because of non-affordability. For the underprivileged, we are rolling out mobile medical vans and our Aster volunteers’ programme will provide free of cost care to those who are unable to pay. We want health care to be accessible to all.”
UAE an oasis of peace and prosperity
On Saturday, Aster rolled out three mobile medical vans providing primary health care in Somali Land, Iraq and Telangana district of India. This brings the total mobile medical vans at Aster Volunteers to 19. Throughout the year, many more such mobile medical vans will be introduced in the UAE and other GCC countries.
People of determination
The group is also committed to inclusion of people of determination into the main stream and in one year will be employing 150 people of determination at their health care facilities.
Dr Moopen added that he was humbled to mark the group’s 35th anniversary on UAE’s 50th anniversary. “We got this energy from this unique country where the visionary rulers have created an oasis of peace and prosperity. The rulers provided a fertile ground to encourage entrepreneurs and grow to our full potential.”