Ritesh Agarwal, the founder of global travel-tech company OYO, has announced the establishment of five healthcare centers for the underprivileged in his home state of Odisha over the next one year. The centers will be operated by the health-tech start-up ‘Last Mile Care’, which already runs 11 health centers across India.  

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

As part of an initiative, a healthcare center named the Ramesh and Bela Agarwal Healthcare Center has been inaugurated in Rayagada, the hometown of Ritesh. The center is named in honor of Ritesh's late parents, Ramesh Agarwal and Bela Agarwal. Shri Jagannath Saraka, the state minister, inaugurated the center, it added. 

The centers will use health-tech and options of hybrid care to provide high-quality and affordable healthcare in small towns.  These centers will provide free doctor consultations for the first three months and discounted treatment and medicine for everyone during the first six months. 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. 

In addition to this, each such center will have a team of doctors with specialisation in gynecology, eye diseases and heart diseases. A pharmacy will also be available to offer complete healthcare solutions to patients.   

Ritesh Agarwal, founder and CEO of OYO, remarked, "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".