Almost all the large hospitals and nursing homes in Bangalore prefer to import their requirements of expensive medical equipments and accessories as the quality of most of Indian medical manufacturers is not desirable. Hospital managements are finding it increasingly difficult to accept the equipments made by domestic manufacturers despite they being much cheaper.

There is a long way to go for Indian medical equipment manufacturers to be able to produce quality products, which adds to the healthcare costs. "If India does not look at indigenous production of medical instruments and accessories that are of top quality they will not be able to expect hospitals to buy them because we cannot compromise on patient life," said Vishal Bali, general manager, Wockhardt Hospital and Heart Institute.

Until and unless the Indian medical equipment manufacturers improve the quality standards of appliances /accessories, there is no hope for healthcare sector to bring down costs, opined an official from Mallya Hospital. "Sometimes the quality of accessories even like dressing material is so poor that we stop the supplies and look at foreign companies for sourcing the products despite the considerable difference in price," he added.

Barring hospital furniture like beds, operation tables, wheel chairs, trolleys diagnostic equipment like stethoscope, blood pressure monitoring apparatus, resuscitators, anesthesia and oxygen therapy equipments, Indian hospital and medical equipment companies do not deliver any other products. There are around 150 suppliers in Bangalore alone and the competition is for quality and after sales service of accessories, informed an official from Pragati Medical Equipments.

Mumbai-based Medical Instruments which has a branch office in Bangalore supplies instruments and hospital furniture to Wockhardt Hospital and Heart Institute, Mallya Hospital, Mallige Nursing Home, Yellamma Dasappa Hospital etc. According to Jayanti GM, who is the head of the branch here, there had been no complaints from hospitals for medical furniture and accessories. The suppliers have also not faced any hassles on the payment terms adhered to by the hospitals and nursing homes.

Commenting on the quality of medical accessories, Vishal Bali said that no Indian manufacturer except L&T is capable of supplying the quality products to hospitals. "We make sure all sutures are imported and never take a chance in cardiac, surgeries," he added.

Decision makers at Manipal Hospital, Mallya Hospital, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital said that quality of the product is of prime importance in neuro and orthopedics surgery. "We look at Indian suppliers for conventional products like monitors, furniture, and other accessories."

"It is superior quality and not price which is considered when we purchase equipments, instruments and accessories for hospitals. Our segment is a critical care area and no chances can be taken at any cost at the risk of the patient, said an official from Satya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences.