India is often already mentioned as the diabetes capital of the world, and in addition, hypertension (high blood pressure) is the other major medical hazard in a country of 1.4 Bn. Together, these medical conditions can lead to another silent killer known as Chronic Kidney Disease, or CKD. CKD may eventually result in kidney failure, technically also referred to as end-stage renal disease (ESRD). At that point, patients are advised to either start dialysis (a therapy that helps such patients get rid of wastes, salts and extra fluids from blood in the absence of healthy kidneys) or go for a kidney transplant.
According to government data, about 2.2 Lakh new ESRD patients are added annually, resulting in additional demand for 3.4 Cr dialysis sessions every year. Of course, the lack of a pan-India renal registry means the absence of reliable statistics in this space. However, several population-based studies reported a 4–20% prevalence of CKD in India. As and when it reaches the final stage, the infrastructural and financial burden of dialysis (few opt for transplants, given the cost and the long wait for donors) tends to impact critical renal care.
“Dialysis care in India is severely inadequate. We have around 6K centres against a requirement of at least 15K and a 2-3x gap in the number of dialysis machines. The market currently serves around 15 Lakh ESRD patients who require lifelong dialysis or transplants,” said Prabhat Shrivastava, founder and CEO of VitusCare.
Set up in 2017 by a team of three, this healthcare startup provides dialysis services (through single specialty-clinics as a format) to underserved patients, especially in Tier II, III and even IV locations across North India, making high quality renal care more accessible and affordable to the masses. In a country where critical healthcare is often a matter of geographic and economic privilege, VitusCare aims to disrupt the sector by tapping into largely neglected non-metro markets and setting up best clinical practices for improved outcomes at par with advanced markets with access to timely procedures. For context, dialysis patients in India live only 2 to 3 years after diagnosis compared to 10 to 12 years in Western countries.
The startup launched its first dialysis centre in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. It runs more than 50 dialysis centres across eight states (around 2x growth in the past 7 months alone), including Delhi NCR, Punjab and Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and J&K. It is on track to tripling its footprint by March 2025 (YoY basis) by deepening its presence in existing states and also venturing into new regions such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Bihar.
VitusCare has adopted a hub-and-spoke model to meet the rising demand. It sets up large dialysis centres in key locations in partnership with hospitals and smaller satellite units within a 100 km radius to serve high-demand pockets. These satellite centres, completely operated by the startup, reduce travel time and costs for patients.
According to Prabhat, patients living in rural or semi-urban areas, where dialysis centres are few and far between, often travel 50–100 km three times a week. The economic burden is also staggering. Dialysis treatment costs around INR 2.4 Lakh per annum, excluding additional expenses for tests, medication and travel. In fact, without government assistance, such as the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) and the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which provide subsidised treatment to low-income families, most patients in underserved regions cannot afford the care they need.
VitusCare has already raised more than INR 40 Cr from VC firms Tomorrow Capital and others. Although the founding team declined to comment, the renal care startup could be looking to raise $10 Mn to fund its domestic and global expansion plans, per media reports. The startup claimed an EBITDA breakeven in FY23 and a revenue of INR 25 Cr in the following financial year. It eyes a 2x monthly revenue run-rate (MRR) YoY in Mar-25 vs Mar-24 – from INR 2.5 Cr to INR 5 Cr – and aims to reach INR 100 Cr in annual revenue run-rate (ARR) by FY26.
How Coping With Kidney Ailment Helped Build A Dialysis Lifeline
The concept of VitusCare would have never seen the light but for the personal crisis faced by Prabhat, a senior legal professional, when his father was diagnosed with ESRD. The family hailed from Jabalpur, a tier II city but the high-quality dialysis care that his father needed was not available there, and he was compelled to move him to Gurugram, where he stayed. The medical crisis led him to meet Dr Saurabh Pokhariyal, a leading nephrologist handling his father’s case (originally from Dehradun). Soon, they teamed up with Pankaj Tandon, an eminent finance professional (who hails from Agra) and Prabhat’s former colleague, and decided to launch VitusCare to address the dialysis crisis in India’s underserved regions. The common connection between the three founders was their tier II & III roots helping them resonate with the magnitude of dialysis unavailability in the hinterlands.
The business has been built on three core pillars – awareness, access and affordability – that are required to cater to a market in dire need of robust infrastructure and quality care at low costs.
The awareness drill: As we live in a healthcare system that focuses more on curative solutions than preventive measures, creating mass awareness about CKD and ESRD seems daunting. However, extensive information is now available, driven by government initiatives and private-sector healthcare players.
VitusCare, too, is developing a module to support people suffering from early-stage CKD, as well as diabetes and hypertension, two major precursors to kidney diseases in India. The startup is raising awareness, connecting patients with expert care and promoting healthier lifestyles, ultimately aiming to prevent/slow the progression of ESRD.
Fast access at lower costs: Building a dialysis care network in underserved areas comes with its share of difficulties, from infrastructural issues to workforce challenges. Shrivastava observed that rapid expansion and quick profitability are critical to sustainable operations, which ensure potential to expand further and build wider access in a supply-constrained market.
Accordingly, VitusCare has developed a playbook that helps prioritise the next set of locations and to find the right hospital partners within these areas (those willing to integrate dialysis services), fast-track installations and then have a layer of streamlined processes to ensure consistent quality. A dedicated module is also there to accelerate the fill rate of new centres. These measures result in reduced overheads and faster breakeven, and the savings are passed on to patients to lower treatment costs. Moreover, the VitusCare team recommends only essential dialysis-related services and supplements across centres to limit the financial burden on patients.
Access to care has significantly improved, as the startup’s deep insights into demand-supply gaps allow it to prioritise the next 100 locations and ensure rapid implementation. “Initially, creating consumer awareness and building a supply chain in remote regions looked like significant hurdles. But we refined our strategies over time. Today, we can launch a dialysis centre from scratch, even in the most remote location, within 21 days,” said Prabhat.
VitusCare also partners with several training institutions to create a pipeline of skilled technicians for remote regions. They are placed closer to their hometowns, and talented members are promoted to senior roles to ensure a good retention rate.
Quality care via three service models: All dialysis units under VitusCare adhere to best-in-class clinical protocols and standard operating procedures (SOP) while employing highly skilled professionals to deliver high-quality care consistently.
To meet different requirements, the startup has developed three service models. The first is a box-in-box model or in-centre dialysis care integrated within hospitals so that patients can access hospital amenities and specialised care. VitusCare operates 95% of its centres within partner hospitals, where it converts unutilised space into dedicated dialysis units but owns all assets, directly manages operations and employs an entire team of nephrologists, nurses, biomedical engineers and operational staff. This overall control allows consistency across centres and ensures that care meets rigorous standards at minimal capital expenditure and maximum outreach.
Standalone/satellite centres are set up in communities lacking hospital-based care equipped with advanced facilities and skilled professionals. Finally, home dialysis enables home treatments with professional guidance and personalised care.
VitusCare, in association with its hospital partners, offers cash-less dialysis to patients covered under numerous government and privately run insurance schemes. In addition, private TPAs such as ICICI, HDFC and Star Health, VitusCare centres, enable cash-less dialysis under empanelment such as Ayushmaan Bharat, ESI, CGHS and other state level health insurance schemes. VitusCare’s hospital partners share revenue for the dialysis services offered by it. In addition to above, VitusCare also offers dialysis services at affordable rates to patients, who are not covered under any of the above schemes.
Nearly 10% of its revenue comes from supplements, lab tests, consumables, and diet and psychological consultations.
The Path Forward for VitusCare: Scaling and Innovation
Will dialysis (and overall renal care) emerge as the next big healthcare crisis now that one in five adult Indians is estimated to suffer from CKD? Add to that the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, which account for 40-60% of cases of chronic kidney diseases. Besides, nephrology is a relatively new speciality in India, and preventive care is not as widespread in semi-urban and rural areas. Hence, the dependence on dialysis care is growing rapidly, not only in India but also in countries like the US and China. This is hence one of the fastest growing domains within the ambit of single-specialty clinics considering the unmet demand and faster scalability of a single-specialty model.
In India, the dialysis care market is projected to rise from $2.1 Bn in 2022 to $4.4 Bn by 2030 at a CAGR of 9.5%, further accelerating the growth of VitusCare and its ilk. Globally, this market is estimated to reach $181.2 Bn by 2032 from an estimated $98.5 Bn in 2024, opening new growth avenues for Indian startups.
To meet these requirements, VitusCare plans to expand its network to 500+ centres in the next five years to become a leading renal care provider. It will also replicate its India model across underserved global markets. It is also investing in technology to improve operational efficiency and patient care. The startup is developing an internal app and using comprehensive CRM solutions to streamline centre management, optimise resource allocation and enhance patient outcomes.
“We are not just filling a gap; we are changing lives. We want every dialysis patient to live a normal, active life, and we are ensuring this by blending access, affordability and uncompromising quality,” says Prabhat. “Our scale-up strategy focuses on deepening our presence and establishing ourselves as a branded chain while solving access challenges for patients,” he adds.
In a country where millions of people are affected by chronic kidney disease, the work of companies like VitusCare is more critical than ever. For the founders, the mission is far from over. They are determined to expand, bring dialysis care closer to the people and bridge the gaps across India’s healthcare system.
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