Medical products worth $1.4 billion will be replaced by domestic manufacturing, says sci-tech minister
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday that Pakistan is all set to establish the medical equipment manufacturing industry in a bid to replace imports worth $1.4 billion, adding that steps are also being taken to locally produce electromagnetic instruments.
Fawad said the science and technology ministry has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Faisalabad Industrial Estate and Management Company (FIEDMC) – the developing body of Allama Iqbal Special Economic Zone (SEZ) – and a medical city of 200 acres is already situated in Faisalabad.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, the minister said that the businesses which will operate in SEZ will remain tax-free for a period of 10 years and no custom duty will be charged on import of machinery – the only one in Punjab. Two units were being set up in the medical zone with the help of FIEDMC, he added.
Fawad said that the whole process of importing and setting up of the machinery will take six to eight months and, in the first phase, production of syringes, needles, cannulas, cartridges, wires/cables and cardiac stents will start within the stipulated time. In the second phase, he said, the production of X-ray and dialysis machines will start in Pakistan.
He termed the local production of medical equipment a revolutionary step saying the local manufacturing will reduce the cost of medical products by 50 per cent.
Citing an example, Fawad said 1.5 billion syringes were imported in the last one year alone and added that with the start of local production there will be no shortage of these items particularly in the government hospitals.
“On February 26 – when first cases of coronavirus surfaced in Pakistan – we were importers of medical equipment, including ventilators. Now, we are producing 1,150 ventilators every month.”
He said the import substitution of medical equipment was made possible due to his ministry’s efforts. “We have turned Covid-19 calamity into an opportunity.”
To the question that the pharmaceutical sector is already facing bureaucratic hurdles in getting clearance for the raw material needed for several lifesaving drugs, Fawad said that he has already pushed the Drug Regulatory of Pakistan (DRAP) in this regard.
While sharing the news of medical city on social media, Fawad announced that the next medical zone will be established in Sialkot which was responded by President Qomi Awami Tehreek Ayaz Latif Palijo saying he was happy that medical equipment zones were being set up in Faisalabad and Sialkot.
فیصل آباد انڈسٹریل زون میں دو سو ایکڑ پر میڈیکل آلات بنانےکا زون قائم کیا ہے اس سے 1.4 ارب ڈالر کی میڈیکل آلات کی امپورٹس جو ہم کرتے ہیں بہت کم ہو جائیں گی، سرنج، سوئیاں، Canolas, Xray Machines, Heart stunts , Dialysis machines ہم پاکستان میں بنائیں گے, اگلا زون سیالکوٹ ہو گا
“I wish the federation and the province would create some industrial zones in Sindh in Badin, Dadu, Thar, Sujawal, Larkana, Jacobabad, Khairpur and Kashmore,” Palijo said in his tweet.
Fawad promptly responded to Palijo, saying the science and technology ministry will be more than happy to join hands with the Sindh government to establish “Science and Tech Parks”, adding that the provincial government needed to allocate land and SEZ framework for that. “Sindh can immensely benefit by focusing on science and technology,” he said.
Palijo while thanking minister said he was looking forward to proposed joint venture of federal and provincial government for establishment of ‘Science & Tech’ parks in Sindh. “Unemployment and poverty in Sindh need special attention,” he added.
On January 3, 2020, Prime Minister Imran Khan had inaugurated the Allama Iqbal Industrial City – the SEZ under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The project aims to house foreign and local investors and promote economic activities in the country.
The industrial city is the largest among the SEZs in terms of area as it spreads over 3,217 acres of land. It comprises of large number of projects, including textile, pharmaceuticals, information technology, chemicals automotive and service complex, among other things.
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Original news : https://tribune.com.pk/story/2265918/pakistan-all-set-to-roll-out-locally-produced-medical-equipment-fawad