Inauguration of new clinic for treatment of obesity and gastroenterological diseases in Skåne

Global Health Partner has inaugurated its own clinic for the treatment of obesity in Lund in Skåne and the first obesity operations are being performed this week. At the same time business activities are being started with examination and treatment of diseases in the gastro-intestinal tract. Furthermore, there will be a doctors’ office focusing on rectal problems and hernia. Bariatric Center Skåne has previously performed operations both in one of Region Skåne’s hospitals and in the premises of another private health care provider. Operation business activities with bed capacity are now being started in the company’s own premises. “We see great opportunities for our businesses in Skåne and it feels incredibly exciting to be able to now open a unit that is a completely new care provider within the framework of Skåne’s highly specialised hospital health care,” says Per Båtelson, Global Health Partner’s CEO.

Bariatric Center Skåne’s business was started in Skåne as early as in 2008, with a queue-shortening assignment for Region Skåne. The business has continued with a private focus during 2009 and 2010 and operations have been performed in the premises of another private health care provider. The company’s own premises have now been started up, and these will have both doctor’s office and operation business activities with bed capacity and the clinic can thus offer both outpatient and inpatient care.

Up until April Bariatric Center Skåne has operated on 228 patients. It is assessed that there is a great need and demand in the region, which has a higher prevalence of obesity than the national average. In addition, patients from different County Councils, primarily Västra Götaland, may be treated in the premises. Bariatric Center Skåne was ranked number one in the procurement process that was carried out under the management of the Västra Götaland region during May/June.

Gastro Center Skåne is also being started up in the same premises as Bariatric Center Skåne, with the focus on gastroenterological and surgical examinations and treatment. Over time the aim is to offer health care within other specialities as well, primarily from other Service Lines within Global Health Partner, for example orthopaedics.

The prevalence of obesity is assuming epidemic proportions all over the western world. WHO assesses that almost 150 million people suffer from obesity in Europe. These people usually develop different types of secondary diseases such as diabetes type II, high blood pressure and infertility. Both the obesity and the co-morbidities cause great suffering in patients and result in high hospital costs. Studies show that the only successful treatment for patients suffering from obesity is surgery.

Global Health Partner has clinics for the treatment of obesity in Stockholm, Lund, Bergen, Birmingham, Cairo, Helsinki, Prague and Ajman (United Arab Emirates).

15 June 2010
Gothenburg, Sweden
Global Health Partner AB (publ)

Queries should be addressed to:
Per Båtelson, CEO, phone +46 705 95 57 00
Anna Ahlberg, Head of Investor Relations, phone +46 708 55 38 35

Global Health Partner is an internationally active healthcare provider that operates specialist clinics in a select number of treatment areas through the application of a business model that is unique in the healthcare industry, where leading doctors become partners and shareholders. Multiple clinics with high patient volumes within the same area of treatment produce increased efficiency and higher quality, which is the cornerstone of Global Health Partner's business philosophy – ”Quality through Specialisation”. Global Health Partner’s shares are traded on the Small Cap list at NASDAQ OMX Stockholm under the abbreviation “GHP.”

This is a translation of the Swedish version of the press release. When in doubt, the Swedish wording prevails.