The Indian government is planning to introduce a new scheme aimed at boosting the domestic production of components for digital X-ray, CT scan, and MRI machines. Currently, a significant portion of these crucial medical device components is imported, which contributes to the high costs of medical imaging equipment and, by extension, the cost of healthcare.
This idea was disclosed by Pharma Secretary Arunish Chawla at the MedTech Stackathon in New Delhi. A 20% capital subsidy is one of the government’s strategies for enterprises that invest in the production of vital parts for digital X-ray, CT, MRI, and other medical device manufacture. This action is a component of a larger initiative to strengthen the medical technology industry’s capacity for domestic manufacturing.
By lowering customs taxes on essential parts like flat panel detectors and X-ray tubes, which are essential to digital X-ray machines, the Union Budget for 2024–2025 has already made progress toward this goal. Nonetheless, the Department of Pharmaceuticals admitted that these components are currently not produced domestically by industry. Due to this disparity, the US and China provide digital X-ray machines, which range in price from ₹18 lakh to over ₹1 crore, necessitating imports.
On January 22, 2021, a Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) was launched with the aim of promoting the domestic manufacturing of X-ray equipment and their components. With this policy, import component tariffs were to be gradually raised in order to support domestic manufacture. However, industry officials emphasized that flat panel detectors and X-ray tubes still lack the proper production infrastructure. To address these issues and give a more reasonable timeframe for the development of local manufacturing capabilities, the government changed the PMP program in response.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals, in partnership with the medical device industry, is organizing the MEDITECH STACKATHON 2024 to address important concerns affecting the business, including reliance on imports, regulatory obstacles, and technological constraints. The objective is to recognize and resolve these obstacles in order to promote the expansion of the homegrown medical device market.
The Chairman and Founder of Mahajan Imaging, Dr. Harsh Mahajan, pointed out that X-ray machines may become more affordable even at primary health centers in India if they were produced domestically. India is a world leader in vaccines and generic drugs, but it still depends a lot on imports for medical devices—nearly 70% of these goods are from outside the country. With this new endeavor, India hopes to improve its medical technology self-sufficiency and address this imbalance.
SOURCE :
TIMES OF INDIA
