Press release

HLL Lifecare Ltd has, in collaboration with the Kerala Government, set up a fair price outlet here to make available ophthalmic products including spectacles, lenses and frames — the first such endeavour in the country.
Shri V S Sivakumar, Hon’ble Minister for Health, in his inaugural address, said that the fair price outlet would provide relief to poor patients. At present, there is no price regulatory mechanism on the sale of ophthalmic products in the private sector; the prices are fixed by the sellers, the Minister pointed out.
Shri K Muraleedharan MLA inaugurated the Lifecare Centre. Shri V K Ebrahimkunju, Hon’ble Minister for Public Works; Adv K Chandrika, Worshipful Mayor; Shri P K Venugopal, Chairman, TRIDA; Smt Kumari Padmanabhan, Councillor and Shri K K Suresh Kumar, Director, HLL Lifecare were present on the occasion.
The Lifecare Centre, set up at the Government Eye Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, will sell the ophthalmic products at affordable prices, with a rebate between 20 and 60 per cent compared to the open-market rates. HLL, founded in 1966, opened the centre as per the request of the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology.
In October 2011, HLL Lifecarehad made a bold market intervention to open the first such fair price outlet —Lifecare Centre — at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College to sell surgical implants and consumables at a rebate of 40% to 60%. The centre, aimed at ensuring quality and affordability, has been working round-the-clock.
Private agencies have been charging differently for the medical devices and surgical consumables in the hospitals across the State. The Government launched the initiative to make available the devices at affordable prices to those coming to government hospitals.
The Government has also given approval to set up such centres at the other four medical colleges in the State. Besides, discussions are also being held to extend the facility to all general hospitals and district hospitals.