Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 15: Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh Tuesday said, India is among the top five countries in the world manufacturing life-saving high risk medical devices but the cost of our devices is about one-third of those manufactured by the other four countries.
Addressing the faculty and students after inaugurating unique Combined Devices Facility at SreeChitraTirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology here, Dr 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.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the world class medical devices made indigenously are available to Indian patients at approximately one fourth to one third price of their imported counterparts. He 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.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Combined Devices Block at Chitra Institute is a perfect example of convergence of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and this must be institutionalised. He said, the Institute is also a model of Medicines and Bio-Medicines, which is now being emulated by IITs and other prominent medical institutes.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, R&D for Ease of Living can become successful, 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. He gave the example of Technology Development Board of DST and Bharat Biotech to form a ₹400 Crores Corpus Fund with equal contribution by both to support Startups in vaccine manufacturing and other medical ventures. The Minister pointed out that the DNA vaccine produced by the Department of Biotechnology was later used effectively by the private sector and this is the essence of Integrated Approach.
