Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya yesterday launched MedTech Mitra – a strategic initiative to empower medtech innovators and advance healthcare solutions.
Speaking during the launch, the minister said, “MedTech Mitra is a platform that will help the young talents of the country by holding their hands and giving them final shape to their research, knowledge, logic, etc. and help them in getting regulatory approval.”
He further said that to ensure that medical devices are supplied within the country, this sector has seen phenomenal progress with the implementation of Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and investments for medical drug parks, medtech research policy and medtech research incentive scheme.
“This collaborative initiative will facilitate indigenous development of affordable, quality medtech devices and diagnostics leading to considerable reduction in the import dependence of this sector. Underscoring the growth and potential of this sector, I am confident India will grow to become $50 billion industry by 2030.”
Due to the developments taking place in sectors like robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Virtual Reality (VR) and nano technology, the medical device sector is changing rapidly today, the minister further mentioned.
The minister also stated, “There is immense power among the innovators, researchers and start-up youth in the country who know how to do research and logic development. If one gets help at the approval stage itself, then wonders can be achieved which will take India miles ahead in becoming aatmanirbhar and achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat.”
Commenting on the initiative, Professor SP Singh Baghel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, stated, “MedTech Mitra is a platform for budding entrepreneurs and innovators in India. It is more than an ecosystem, a community. It is a harbinger of revolutionary change.”
He further added that the use of accurate and cost-effective indigenous technologies to bring about a change in the healthcare scenario is of utmost importance in India.
“MedTech Mitra is one such initiative that brings together various stakeholders in the field of medical technology to enhance cooperation among various stakeholders and partner with them to promote progress in the health sector,” Singh added.
In addition, Dr VK Paul, Member – Health, NITI Aayog, said, “MedTech Mitra will empower emerging start-ups and ensure ease of innovation, ease of doing research and development, ease of rendering service in building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. In harbouring collaboration amongst all stakeholders, it will effectively break silos, catalysing growth and independence in this sector.”
Others present during the occasion included Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research (DHR) and Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); Dr Suchita Markan Sc-E, Mission In-charge, Medical Device and Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS), ICM; Dr Taruna Madan Sc-G, Head (Development Research), ICMR; and Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO); Ms Manisha Saxena Sr DDG(A), ICMR and many senior government officials.