BS RAWAT
NEW DELHI: India's Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu has announced that a National Medical Devices Promotion Council will be set up under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The announcement was made at the fourth WHO Global Forum on Medical Devices at the Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone.

Mr Prabhu also announced establishment of a Medical Devices Design Centre and assured that as exports pick up the government will also establish a Medical Devices Exports Promotion Council.

The Medical Devices industry has applauded DIPP on establishing the much awaited National Medical Devices Promotion Council saying it will provide an impetus and boost Indian Medical Devices manufacturing industry and support the Make in India program for medical devices in India.

Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator, Association of Indian Medical Device Industry, said “Industry had been seeking this for quite some time.”

He stated that it has been more than 13 years since a direction was given to the Indian health authorities to have a comprehensive framework for medical devices. Such concerns recently got amplified on a global scale following an investigation into medical devices by media entities.