Diaverum, one of the leading renal care providers worldwide (of Swedish origins), and the Chinese Yueda Group, a large state-owned enterprise group based in Jiangsu, on 8 July celebrated the beginning of their joint venture partnership. They entered into teh agreement to provide renal care services in China back in May and this official ceremony marked the start of the cooperation.
Taking place at the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing, Mr Dag Andersson, CEO and President of Diaverum, said that the aim with the joint venture partnership is to increase access to high-quality and affordable care in China.
“This is an excellent opportunity for us to expand into the Chinese market. With two to three million potential end-stage renal disease patients in China — less than 25% of whom are currently being treated — and the rising demand for quality dialysis care, our aim is to supplement the current public sector by making affordable, quality care with international standards accessible to all renal patients in the country. With the joint venture partnership with the Yueda Group we will introduce the European healthcare model to China.”
The joint venture partnership between Diaverum and Yueda Group is yet another example of the increasing collaboration between Sweden and China in the healthcare sector. Earlier this year, both countries celebrated the 10th anniversary of Sweden and China’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Healthcare signed by the Ministries of Health of both countries.
“The two countries can learn from each other’s experiences and this is exactly what we are aiming to establish with the Yueda partnership. Having Swedish roots which date back 25 years, Diaverum is an excellent partner for the locally well-respected Yueda Group who has long joint venture experiences with leading multinational chain operations including Carrefour, Kia and Costa Coffee.
Drawing from both companies’ expertise, we will increase the capacity, help the government meet its goal of providing quality care to all citizens, and lift dialysis standards by introducing innovative care models to improve quality of life for renal patients in China,” explained Dag Andersson.
“With this contract, we are joining the international medical knowhow and experience of Diaverum with the strong local network and financial expertise of the Yueda Group for the benefit of the local healthcare system and the patients,” added Mr Wang Lianchun, Chairman and Party Secretary at the Jiangsu Yueda Group. “A key reason for us to choose Diaverum was their patient-centric approach.”
Under the joint venture partnership, the plan is to establish a nationwide network of dialysis centres that fill the current supply and quality gap in China. Patients will benefit from Swedish and European high standards of renal care while covered by Chinese pubic reimbursement schemes to make the service affordable. Medical staff working for Diaverum will benefit from global research opportunities, an international collaboration, network and support and the state-of-the art education programme, d.ACADEMY.
Like in many other countries worldwide, the management of chronic kidney disease presents a huge economic burden to the healthcare system in China with the patient numbers growing at high pace — a challenge also in terms of sustaining or even increasing the quality of treatment.
“Together with Yueda Group we will be enhancing and increasing the renal care capacities in China substantially,” said Ms Shu Fan, Managing Director Diaverum China. “As a service only provider, Diaverum is independent from any product company and free to tailor products to patients’ treatment needs. This results in a better quality of care to serve the general public.”
The event to mark the joint venture partnership between Diaverum and Yueda Group started on 7 July with a medical seminar on “The Future of Renal Care – Swedish & Chinese Practices”. Renowned renal experts from China and Sweden spoke about the trends in renal care and discussed how to establish a system of affordable care in China to provide renal patients with the best possible treatment. This medical seminar kick-started a series of annual events that will bring key opinion leaders together from China and Europe to further develop renal care in China.
About Diaverum
As one of the world’s leading renal care providers Diaverum stands for excellent medical quality, renal care services and a patient-centred research. Being product-independent also gives them the flexibility to offer individual treatments for the individual needs of patients and by coordinating their patients’ healthcare needs, we are improving their quality of life. Their experience in renal care dates back more than 25 years, when the first dialysis clinic was established, under the former name Gambro Healthcare, defining teir Swedish roots. Today the corporate office is located in Munich, Germany.
About Yueda Group
Jiangsu Yueda Group Co., Ltd. is one of the top 520 state owned enterprises in China, with a history of more than 30 years in operation.
