DaVita HealthCare Partners, a leading international provider of kidney care services has announced that it will expand its international service offerings beyond kidney care with a strategic investment in India's largest independent primary care and multi-specialty chain, Express Clinics.

"India is a very important part of our growth plans in Asia-Pacific," said Mr Dennis Kogod, president of DaVita HealthCare Partners' international operations. He added, "Twenty-six primary care centers in addition to DaVita's network of 13 dialysis centers in India represent a large footprint to serve patients."

DaVita HealthCare Partners will take a strategic stake in Express Clinics which currently operates 26 clinics located in Pune, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

"We are recognized as the leading provider of dialysis services in India and we are proud to now extend that record of clinical excellence into Indian primary and multi-specialty care services," said Mr Atul Mathur, president of DaVita HealthCare Partners in the Asia-Pacific region.

Express Clinics offers a variety of services including consultations with general physicians and specialists, pathology and radiology, and custom health packages. The strategic partnership with DaVita HealthCare Partners will enable the company to deepen its footprint in current markets and enter new ones.

Mr Brij Sharma, founder of Express Clinics said, "We are extremely excited that this partnership provides Express Clinics the ability to leverage DaVita HealthCare Partners' expertise in creating best-in-class clinical outcomes. With the support of this partnership, we will continue to grow and deliver comprehensive, high-quality health care services to a broader patient population in India."