Speaking on the occasion Dr  Jitendar Sharma, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Priority Medical Devices and Health Technology Policy, National Health Systems Resource Centre (L to R), Sharing the dias are Dr Arvind Kukrety, Deputy Drugs Controller, India, Rajiv Nath, Forum Co-ordinator, AIMED, Dr H G Koshia, Commissioner, Gujarat FDCA and Dr Kiran Kalia, Director, NIPER, Ahmedabad.


Setting up of medical device parks, testing labs accompanied with imposition of special additional duty on imported medical devices and increase in the basic customs duty were a part of the deliberations of the 13th two-day National Conference and Technology Exhibition of Indian Medical Devices and Plastics Disposables/Implants Industry (IMDI, www.imdiconferences.com ) 2016 held from February 12-13, 2016 in Ahmedabad.

The annual conference for the Indian Medical Devices and Plastics Disposables/Implants Industry which has been organised since 2001 with close support and co-operation from Association of Indian Medical Device Manufacturers (AIMED) and other leading industry associations in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and plastics sectors is driven with the mission to create a platform for the Indian medical device industry and the technology/product/ service providers with an objective to facilitate an environment of healthy growth.

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Gujarat FDCA commissioner Dr H G Koshia said, “The event is very much relevant for Gujarat as the state has the largest number of licensed medical device companies which are nurtured by Gujarat FDCA with an exemplary approach and has received recognition in the country. This annual event being organised since 2001 has the sole objective of promoting “Make-In-India” mission focused on medical disposables and implants sub-sectors of Indian medical device industry.”

The event is one of its kinds in India for the medical device industry, and has proved to be a unique celebration of knowledge sharing, brain storming and networking, he added.

Conference convener D L Pandya further added, “The conference bears a lot of weightage owing to its participation and support from like minded associations like Medical Disposables Manufacturers Associations (MDMA), Society of Biomaterials and Artificial Organs, National Biomedical Engineering Society (NBES), Food and Drugs Control Administration, government of Gujarat, Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA), Association of Diagnostics Manufacturers of India (ADMI), Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC INDIA), Medical Surgical And Healthcare Industry Trade Association, The All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA), Gujarat State Plastics Manufacturers Association (GSPMA), Indian Plastics Institute (IPI), Society of Plastic Engineers(SPE).”

It has been organised over last 15 years with close involvement and support of the leading industry associations both in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and plastics sectors, government including regulatory agencies, research and academic institutes as well as large number of raw materials, equipments and expert service providers.

Leading polymer companies introduced new products including Lubrizol Advance Materials which highlighted innovative competitive technologies through advanced materials like Themoplastic Polyurethanes. One more important feature of the event was special focus workshop on second day which included workshop on 'Bio-compatibility and Medical Device Testing' offered by Chennai based leading "GLR Labortory" which was very well received by the industry.

Rajiv Nath, forum co-ordinator, AIMED said the event comes at a time when various industry friendly measures have been taken by the government like reduction in the cutom duty rates on the raw materials required to manufacture medical devices that will encourage manufacturing in India.

While Dr. Jitendar Sharma, director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Priority Medical Devices and Health Technology Policy, National Health Systems Resource Centre, ministry of health said that government's plan to set up medical device parks will bring about quality, compliance and provide cost effectiveness by providing infrastructure to boost medical device manufacuring in India, Dr Kiran Kalia, director, NIPER, Ahmedabad informed that NIPER Ahmedabad as a centre of excellence is all set to provide a conducive environment to nurture innovators and industry to further the vision of quality medical device manufaturing in the country through synergies with the government and other stake holders.

Speaking on the occasion, deputy drugs controller Arvind Kukrety said that medical device industry is complementary to the customised healthcare trends existing globally and in India aimed at patient safety and industry compliant friendly.

The event was well received with support from almost 50 industry experts not only from all parts of the countries but also from foreign countries including USA, Europe, China, Singapore etc for sparing their valuable time and efforts and sharing their techno-commercial knowledge and vision with about 700 or more delegates over two days. About 35 companies took active participation in the technology show exhibition.

The “Technology Display Show Exhibition” was held in conjunction with this conference. About 40 national and international companies showcased materials, adhesives, new technologies, manufacturing/testing equipments, packaging/sterilisation equipments and services for medical device industry. It included leading companies like Lubrizol Life Sciences, Covestro, Shiram Axiall , Maider China , ET Elastomer Germany, Atachi Systems USA, VascuTech Medical USA, among others.

A parallel event held along with the medical device conference and technology exhibition was “2nd National Conference On Safety and Risk Management For Healthcare Professionals” for the benefit of healthcare professionals including doctors, nursing staff as well as technicians face a wide range of occupational injuries and hazards.

This conference was organised to create awareness and devise preventive strategies to minimise these risks. International and Indian experts from the industry and leading hospitals shared their knowledge and experience on this critical issue of importance to healthcare professionals which included Tim Galekop from TiGaMed Consulting, Belgium, Dr Rajesh Shah, president, Gujarat Chapter, Associations of Surgeons of India, Sumit Marwah, director, Dispoline India Private Limited, Dr J L Meena, state quality assurance medical officer, commissioner of health, government of Gujarat, Dr. Mahesh Patel, quality and patient safety officer, Apollo Hospitals International Limited, Ahmedabad.

More than 200 delegates from leading private and government hospitals including doctors, nursing staff, infection control and quality control staff participated.