Apollo Hospitals To Launch Five New Genomics Institutes In FY26

Apollo Hospitals Group announced plans on Tuesday to establish five additional Apollo Genomics Institutes by March 31, 2026, targeting tier II and III cities in eastern, northern, and central India to integrate genomic testing into routine clinical practice. The expansion aims to bridge accessibility gaps in preventive and personalised healthcare, particularly in underserved regions. "We are planning five new Apollo Genomics Institutes in this financial year," said Dr Anupam Sibal, the group's Medical Director and Senior Consultant in Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, during a media briefing.

The new centres will be located in Guwahati (Assam), Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Indore (Madhya Pradesh), and Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), extending Apollo's footprint to the northeast and beyond metros. Currently, 12 such institutes operate nationwide, including in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata. Genomics, the study of an organism's complete DNA set, enables tailored diagnostics and treatments by identifying genetic variations linked to diseases.

Apollo's facilities cover key areas like preventive genomics for risk assessment, reproductive genomics for maternal and child health, speciality genomics for rare disorders, and oncogenetics for cancer care, offering end-to-end services from testing to counselling.

The institutes recently hit a milestone of 11,000 genomic consultations, empowering diverse families with precision medicine insights amid India's genetic diversity—over 4,000 ethnic groups and high endogamy rates that amplify hereditary risks. Sibal emphasised democratising access: "Genomics provides specialised expertise in reproductive, oncology, and rare disorders, helping communities make informed decisions."

Costs remain a barrier, with whole genome sequencing at Rs 60,000 and targeted sequencing at Rs 18,000, though Sibal anticipates declines through technological advances and larger databases.

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To address a nationwide skill shortage in genomics, Apollo intends to launch its own training centre by FY27, applying to the National Board of Examinations soon. "We need more teachers to train geneticists, clinicians, and researchers," Sibal noted. The group also eyes research collaborations with universities to study population-specific disease patterns and is currently in informal talks.

This initiative aligns with India's National Health Policy 2017 push for genomic research via the Indian Council of Medical Research's GenomeIndia project, which mapped 10,000 genomes in 2023. As precision medicine grows globally—projected to reach USD 175 billion by 2028—Apollo's expansion positions it to lead in affordable, localised solutions, potentially reducing diagnostic delays in non-metro areas.

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