Medical devices industry must be eco-friendly: Suresh Prabhu

Visakhapatnam: Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu expressed the need for an enabling ecosystem to help evolve the industry of medical devices in India. The Minister looks forward to achieve this through Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ). Suresh Prabhu inaugurated National Medical Devices Promotion Council, Centre for Medical Equipment Procurement with Global e-Market and Centre for Patents for Biomedical Equipment at AMTZ on Saturday. On the occasion, he spoke about the importance of medical devices and their support to life. 

The AMTZ hosted the 4th WHO Global Forum on Medical Devices which was concluded here on Saturday. The World Health Organisation has approved registration applications of 1,049 delegates from 90 countries during the conference. The delegates including, representatives from  governments, Ministries of Health, United Nations and Inter-governmental institutions including the WHO, other UN bodies, bilateral donors including GIZ (of Germany) and USAid, researchers and academia and NGOswere present in the conference. Addressing at the valedictory, Dr.Poonam Malakondaiah, Special Chief Secretary to the AP Health department, said that the need of the hour is quality, affordability, and accessibility, and with the launch of AMTZ, she looks forward to addressing the need which has remained unaddressed in India for a long time.

Managing Director and CEO of AMTZ, Dr.Jitendar Sharma shared the insights of making AMTZ, which garnered huge applause. A 270-acre MedTech Zone phase-1 got completed in just 342 days, he said. Dr.Jitendar Sharma announced that with the comprehensive infrastructure in place, this park is world’s most equipped park ahead of the western world. Any device goes through 18 tests and procedures before it is applied in a real world and AMTZ is unique in giving all those 18 tests at the same address.
The experts discussed various key topics including diagnostics, making diagnostics accessible, Oxygen supply options and systems for low and middle income countries, pricing administration, regulation and policies, fit-for-purpose policies and laws for regulation, enabling ecosystem for manufacturing in country. During the event 10 MoUs were signed adding up to 150 million USD worth investments.