Chandigarh: Fortis Healthcare, a Ranbaxy group firm, will set up two 'health cities' - integrated townships with hospitals and medical colleges - in Punjab with an investment of Rs.10 billion.

Fortis CEO and managing director Shivinder Mohan Singh said here Sunday that a proposal in this regard had been moved with the Punjab government.

The proposed health cities would be integrated townships with medical and dental colleges, a health management institute, teaching hospitals and other facilities, he said.

"We want to create an all-India presence with health services and network of hospitals. We also want to provide world-class hospitals with facilities to attract patients from abroad," Singh said.

He said that better infrastructure was essential to promote health tourism in the country. "The perception of people needs to change to promote health tourism," he added.

He said that Fortis had invested Rs.10 billion in healthcare last year and may invest $5 billion in the next four years.

The existing Fortis hospital at Mohali in Punjab, 10 km from here, was also Sunday announced as accredited with the Joint Commission International (JCI) certification.

The JCI accreditation, done in the US, is considered the highest certification in healthcare with global standards. The focus areas of JCI accreditation include assessment of patients, utmost care of patients, patients and family rights, strict infection control for the safety of patients, education and documentation.

"Our hospital at Mohali is the first in any non-metro city in India to have this certification. Getting a JCI accreditation is a strong validation that we at Fortis have taken extra steps to meet the highest level of safety and quality care for our patients," Singh said.

Fortis-Mohali medical director Ashok V. Chordiya said: "With the JCI, our hospital will join the exclusive group of hospitals worldwide which have passed stringent clinical quality standards."

The hospital has treated several Pakistani patients for cardiac ailments in recent years. A number of non-resident Indians (NRIs) and foreigners also come to this super-specialty hospital for treatment.