New Delhi, September 28, 2013: “The 12th Five-Year plan has envisaged the creation of as many as 1200 technical personnel including 300 medical devices officers for efficient implementation of the new regulatory regime as envisaged in the Medical Devices Bill, which is now under consideration of the Rajya Sabha.” This was shared by Dr G. N Singh, Drug Controller General of India while addressing CII’s 6th Medical Technology Conference held in the city today.
The Conference focused on the Medical Technology and its vital place in Healthcare in India. Present at this one-day mega event were Mr. Ajay Shankar, Member Secretary, National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council, Dr. G. N. Singh , Drug Controller General of India, and Dr. S.E. Reddy, Deputy Drug Controller, India, Dr. Naresh Trehan, Chairman, CII National Committee On Healthcare and CMD, Medanta – The Medicity along with a large number of leaders from the medical equipment, devices, diagnostic sectors and key government officials and large healthcare providers. The event was organised to share, identify and recommend solutions and experiences for creating a harmonised medical technology platform in the country.
In the context of the recently tabled Medical Devices Bill, Dr DN Singh further advised that the Government was very clear about avoiding any form of overregulation while ensuring safety, efficacy and quality of patient care.
Referring to the medical technology industry as the “sunrise” sector, Mr Ajay Shankar, Member Secretary, National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council emphasised that the Government was cognisant that the industry was poised to grow very rapidly in the next 10 years, possibly at a rate of 10% to 12% creating more than hundred million jobs in the process. He supported the industry’s proposal for Governments interventions in creating an ecosystem for innovation, R&D and provide incubation and funding support to start-ups. He further observed that NMCC was open to the creation of a strategic package for the medical technology industry to support its growth provided the industry could present to the NMCC a unified proposal encompassing different strategic elements. He further emphasised that such an initiative should not focus too much on the long-term but rather on the immediate and medium-terms.
Dr. Naresh Trehan, Chairman, CII National Committee on Healthcare in his address focused on the need for the medical technology sector to come forward with innovations that could not only meet the high-end requirements, but also able to address the enormous healthcare demand that are emerging in the country at the urban, suburban and rural levels. He urged ordered the industry to come forward with innovations which could meet the requirements of the population in the last mile. In this context he said India should learn from the experience of other countries and the sector should work towards a strategic program for developing into a powerhouse and innovation hub which could not only meet the burgeoning demand for healthcare delivery in the country but also be able to serve the needs of many other countries in the African, Asian and CIS regions etc. The total population that could be served by India in these markets could aggregate to as many as 4 billion people.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Pavan Choudary, Chairman, CII Medical Equipment Division and MD, Vygon India Pvt Ltd shared “If India has to achieve universal healthcare for all by 2020, it has to ensure that the four wheels of healthcare viz. The healthcare providers, the pharmaceutical industry, the health insurance sector and the medical technology industry grow in tandem. Though medical technology is vital, it was still the smallest of the wheels. To help it reach its potential it needs smooth flows of FDI, technical and R&D collaborations, a strong incentive to set up manufacturing units in India, a robust technological ecosystem to support this manufacturing activity, and an appropriate regulatory regime”.
Mr Himanshu Baid, Co Chairman, CII Medical Equipment Division and MD Poly Medicure Ltd while addressing the audience said, “In India about 70% of population is rural having limited access to the Health Care facilities in comparison to the urban population. Through CII, we aim to bring innovative technologies, meet the external and internal challenges and eliminate the gap between rural and urban facilities”
India’s medical technology space is one of the most prominent markets in South East Asia, ranked fourth in the Region in terms of its market size and potential. While there was a growing need for innovation and capacity creation to enhance quality of healthcare products and delivery, development in the medical technology sector hinge on collaborative efforts across companies (both domestic as well as large MNC players), research institutes, Government and regulatory bodies with each force playing a crucial role in shaping an effective policy that will define the healthcare ecosystem and ensure easy access and affordable healthcare without compromising on quality.
As outlined by the Theme Paper by Grant Thornton “ Progressive Change” released at the 6th Medical Technology Conference; the Indian Medical device and equipment market currently valued at USD 4.4 Billion, was expected to grow to around USD 5.8 Billion by 2014 and USD 7.8 Billion by 2016 growing at a CAGR of 15.5 % . — CCI Newswire
