Health Maintenance Firm Aims For NASDAQ

Private health care management services firm iKang intends to list on NASDAQ within two years to become the first such enterprise out of China. iKang, which has attracted more than $25 million in investments from top venture capital firms - including Merrill Lynch, Shanghai Venture Capital, and ePlanet Ventures - is pursuing a "360-degree" health maintenance organization strategy. It has been adopting multiple approaches and concepts to cater to different consumer groups, with plans to aggressively expand its number of sites this year. Analysts see three stages in health care evolution: Treatment, prevention, and health management. While most developed nations have reached the third level, China's health care system still hovers between the first and second stages. (Click here for more - Chinese Language)