The dialysis market to stabilize within two years

“I believe this market will be mostly private in 2010, as 75-80 percent of it will be occupied by private players,” said Cosmin Bordea, Operating Manager of Fresenius Medical Care. At present, 36 percent of the dialysis market is private while the remainder is public, compared to an 85-90 percent share of private dialysis markets in Central and Eastern Europe.

Alexandru Ciolan, General Manager of Fresenius Medical Care, said the market will be divided by major players in the next two years. The medical service provider is interested in medium-term acquisitions, according to company officials.

The dialysis market is limited to the number of patients who require this procedure, which now stands at 7,700. There are currently more than 20 private dialysis centers in Romania, and some ten new units will be opened by the end of 2008 or the beginning of next year.

“The approximately 25-30 private dialysis centers which will be operational in Romania by early 2009 will absorb almost half of the patients who require this procedure,” said Anca Petca, General Manager of Euromedic Romania.

The investment in a dialysis center in a rented location amounts to €700,000-800,000 and for a Greenfield center, to €2.5-3 million, according to Fresenius officials. The dialysis market increases by an annual five percent, and major players are large international companies, such as Fresenius, B. Braun, and local players, such as International Healthcare Systems, Nefromed, and Renamed.