MedLife, the biggest private healthcare provider in Romania, said on Tuesday its turnover rose by 17 percent to EUR 35.2 million in the first semester against the same period of last year, citing expanding retail and corporate operations.

Mihai Marcu, president of the administration board at MedLife, said the results came on the backdrop of an“unfavorable and uncertain” climate in the healthcare services market.

“The first semester was forMedLife quite busy as we had to split our efforts on two fronts. On one hand to be active, to optimize our business model and consolidate market leading position and on the other and to lobby the Healthcare Ministry and the NationalInsurance House (e.n. CNAS) to reach a higher degree of transparency and greater regulation clarity in private hospitals taking out public funds,” said Marcu, quoted by news portal hotnews.ro.

MedLife increased its retail base by 21 percent to 870,000 clients that pay in cash and admissions in its six hospitals rose by 14 percent. In the corporate segment, the company added38,000 new clients reaching 238,000 subscribers.

The company launched theGenetics and Molecular Biology Center, which required a first stage investment of EUR 400,000.

The provider is set to complete in the next period four large ambulatory units in Romania, targeting a EUR 72 million turnover this year.