India Producing Medical Devices At One-third World Price: MoS Jitendra Singh

Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said India was manufacturing medical devices at about one-third of those manufactured elsewhere.

At an inauguration MoS Jitendra Singh said, technologies developed by the Institute like the artificial heart valve, hydrocephalus shunt, oxygenator and drug eluting intra uterine device are being manufactured in three to four countries like USA, Japan, Brazil and China.

He said that medical devices made indigenously are available to Indian patients at approximately one-fourth to one-third price of their imported counterparts. Singh underlined that this reflects the Atmanirbhar vision of PM Modi to become self-reliant in medical devices as well as medical management.

Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that it was Prime Minister Modi, who notified Medical Devices Rules in 2017 in conformity with Global Harmonisation Task Force (GHTF) framework and conform to best international practices. The new Rules seek to remove regulatory bottlenecks to make in India, facilitate ease of doing business while ensuring availability of better medical devices for patient care and safety.

Speaking on the R&D for Ease of Living, Singh emphasised that its success can be ensured only if the private industry becomes an equal stakeholder and invests in the project from the beginning. He said, this is also true for sustainable StartUps to have equal stake by both Public and Private sectors.