State of the Art Cancer Care Facility in Sri Lanka by a Leading Indian Provider Health Care Global. Local Investment is Sought

22nd May 2010, www.sundaytimes.lk, By Chanaka de Silva

HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd (HCG), which says its one of the leading cancer care facilities in India, is seeking investment or partnerships to set up a state of the art facility here in Sri Lanka.

Health Care Global Director Marketing Dinesh Madhavan told the Business Times that, “We are looking for Government partnership or a joint venture with a local partner. We have found that there is large requirement for bone marrow transplants and Thalassemia treatment for patients in Sri Lanka. Usually these patients would have to travel to India to receive treatment. Once our facility is set up it will enable patients here to receive treatment conveniently and at a much lesser cost.”

Commenting on the type of investment sought, Mr Madhavan said they require the local party to put up the land and building whilst they will provide the technical knowhow medical expertise and equipment. The total investment is estimated at US$6.2 million of which their contribution will be $2.8 million. HCG with its headquarters in Bangalore is believed to be South Asia's largest cancer care provider, and is the only dedicated cancer care network with quality care across 18 centres. The centre treats over 30,000 new patients a year.

“For over five years HCG has been defining the future of cancer care in India by designing, building and managing cancer centres with a steadfast vision: to transform cancer care environment by bringing core clinical services to one central place. The intent of this single place is to help patients achieve longer, better lives - and to improve one cancer care centre at a time. HCG manages a network of 19 hospitals across South Asia, making it the largest cancer care network of hospitals,” the company said.

Mr Madhavan, during a exploratory visit to Colombo, said the company is also approaching the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health to facilitate doctors and medical persons to visit HCG Bangalore for training purpose. Further Indian doctors will visit Sri Lanka periodically to conduct medical consultation camps and continuous medical education in the months to come.

The facilities available for the patients at HCG are the latest in use today. They are Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Cyber knife , Hemato Oncology, Maxillo Facial Department, Pediatric Oncology, Gynec Oncology, Bone marrow transplant,Nuclear Medicine Department, Radiology Department, a 24/7 Blood Bank with cell component and Pheresis facility, Triesta Sciences, State-of-the-Art Cancer Bio Marker Research and Diagnostics laboratory with a Laser Capture Microscope, Biological Safety Cabinet /Cytotoxic drug mixing cabinet: For chemo drug mixing and Dialysis Unit. Besides the above the ultra modern imaging facilities available are X-Ray,Ultra Sound,CT Scan, HD 128 Slice PET CT ,PET MRI, Cyclotron, Magneton Skyra 3 Tesla MRI, Myocardial Blood Flow, Dotonac Scan, Doppler, and Full Field Digital Mammogrphy.

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US GSP Trade Facility for Sri Lanka Likely to be Renewed

07 January 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com, By Ashanthi Ratnasingham

A United States trade facility allowing duty free Sri Lankan exports that lapsed is likely to be renewed with retroactive effect as has happened in the past, officials said.

The US Congress has not renewed the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program before its conclusion of business and therefore GSP expired from December 31.

"The Congress considered legislation in December 2010 to extend the facility but ultimately adjourned without taking action to extend it," Subhashini Abeysinghe, Economist at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said.

"This means, GSP products from GSP beneficiary countries arriving in the United States on or after January 1, 2011, will not be eligible for the concession.

"This has happened before and the last time authorization of the GSP program lapsed was in 2001," she said.

"The Congress subsequently reauthorized the program ten months later with the renewal being made retroactive."

If renewed retroactively, companies can arrange to be reimbursed for tariffs paid during the gap period.

In the past, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has arranged for the timely processing of refunds of duties deposited on GSP-eligible entries.

The GSP program is designed to promote economic growth by providing preferential duty free entry for about 3,400 products from 131 designated countries which include Sri Lanka.

"It is not only Sri Lanka that will not have this facility extended from January 2011; there are 131 countries involved as well," Abeysinghe said.

"This has happened seven times since 1993 and we think the US will renew the program retroactively as has happened before."

Products covered under the facility include machinery, electrical goods, chemical products, agricultural products, and jewelry.

Most textiles and apparel are not eligible for preferential benefits under the program.

"Only a small percentage of the overall bilateral trade will be affected because garments and textiles which comprise 79 percent of Sri Lankan exports to the US are outside the realm of the GSP," Abeysinghe said.

Countries eligible for GSP benefits must meet several criteria.

These criteria include internationally recognized workers rights like the right of association, the right to organize and bargain collectively, a prohibition on compulsory labor, and a minimum age for the employment of children.

Prohibition on the worst forms of child labor, acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages, hours of work and occupational safety and health are also included.