Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Syed Murtaza Mahmood has urged all the provincial and federal government organisations and departments to collaborate to solve the problems faced by the surgical instruments industry and to boost its exports.

Speaking during his visit to the Surgical Instruments Manufacturing Association of Pakistan (SIMAP), he pledged  the government’s full support to address the challenges faced by the surgical instruments manufacturing industry of the country, said a press release received by WealthPK.

He advised taking on board all the relevant organizations including the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Commerce, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), and Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) for an early resolution of Medical Device Regulations (MDRs), which would come in force in 2024 and may seriously affect the exports of this sector if compliance is not achieved by the industry.

Makhdoom Syed pledged to seek possibilities at the government level to negotiate with other international certification bodies to provide MDR solutions to the industry.

He advised the industry to identify two to three medical devices for reverse engineering and local manufacturing with the support of the Ministry of Industry’s attached departments.

The minister also directed that the existing rules and regulations of the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) and other Special Economic Zones (SEZs) be reviewed to make them more industry-friendly and increase the ease of doing business in the country.

The Engineering Development Board (EDB)’s chief executive officer informed the participants that presently all the attached departments under the Ministry of Industry were cooperating with the surgical industry to tackle issues being faced by it to improve efficiency and productivity as well as enhance and diversify exports.

The SIMAP president welcomed the steps being taken by the Ministry of Industry to support the surgical instruments industry and increase its productivity, output, and exports. He pledged full cooperation with the government to achieve these objectives.

He also briefed the minister about the problems being faced by the surgical instruments manufacturers.

He said that the industry needed the government's support to find joint ventures and partners from China for the transfer of technology and the entry into the manufacturing of medical devices/appliances.

Moreover, brand development, training for skilled labour and machine operators, laboratory infrastructure for certifications, and Medical Devices Regulations were other key issues requiring immediate attention, he added. 

Chairman of EDB Almas Hyder said that it was high time for the industry to graduate from traditional instrument manufacturing to hi-tech product manufacturing and become a hub of medical devices.

He said that issues and bottlenecks in this process need to be identified and overcome.

The industry needs to work with the government to address all such issues and develop a roadmap for bringing innovations and value addition to this industry.

He requested the industry identify required technologies and experts to facilitate this migration.

During the visit, the minister was accompanied by the Chairman of EDB and senior officials of the Ministry of Industries and Production and Chairman of Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA).

Chief Executive Officers of EDB, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), National Productivity Organization (NPO), Pakistan Industrial Technical Assistance Center (PITAC) and Director of Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company (TUSDEC) were also present on the occasion.

Officials from the provincial organizations including Punjab Small Industrial Corporation, Cluster Development Institute, TEVTA and Customs Department also attended the meeting.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk