Centre notifies scheme for 'Medical Device Parks' for affordable medicinal equipments

In a pursuit to make India 'Aatmanirbhar' (Self-Reliant), the Centre on Friday took a key initiative to support the medical devices industry to reach its potential in the coming years under the "Promotion of Medical Device Parks" scheme.

As per the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, the objectives of the Promotion of Medical device parks include easy access to standard testing and infrastructure facilities through the creation of world-class common infrastructure facilities for increased competitiveness that will result in a significant reduction of the cost of production of medical devices leading to better availability and affordability of medicinal equipment in the domestic market and reaping the benefits arising due to optimization of resources and economies of scale. The parks will provide common testing and laboratory facilities/centres in one place reducing the manufacturing cost significantly and create a robust ecosystem for medical device manufacturing in the country.

The ministry said that the Government of Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh have been given "in-principle" approval under the scheme."

The total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs 400 crore and the tenure of the scheme is from FY 2020-2021 to FY 2024-2025, the ministry further stated. 

It further said that the financial assistance to a selected Medical Device Park would be 70% of the project cost of common infrastructure facilities. In the case of the North-Eastern States and the Hilly States, financial assistance would be 90% of the project cost. Maximum assistance under the scheme for one Medical Device Park would be limited to Rs 100 crores.

The Medical Devices Parks to be developed under the scheme will provide common infrastructure facilities at one place thereby creating a robust ecosystem for the medical device manufacturing in the country and also reducing the manufacturing cost significantly. 16 States and Union Territories were received under the scheme. The selection of the states and union territories (UTs) is based on the challenge method, which is reflected in the evaluation criteria of the scheme. 

India-US discusses collaborations in Health Sector

PM Modi recently in a joint statement in US Vice President Kamala Harris, outlined the COVID situation in their countries and ongoing efforts to maintain a supply of critical medicines, therapeutics, and healthcare equipment. 

"The two leaders discussed the COVID-19 situation in their respective countries, including ongoing efforts to contain the pandemic through expedited vaccination efforts, and ensuring supply of critical medicines, therapeutics and healthcare equipment," said the Joint Statement. 

In April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to US President Joe Biden and discussed the importance of smooth and efficient supply chains of vaccine raw materials in a telephone conversation. 

(Image: PTI/Representative Image) 

(With inputs from ANI)