Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the production of medical devices strengthens India’s position as a leader in healthcare innovation, the Government has said.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said that despite producing indigenous devices, we need to produce them at the required volume to meet the growing demand. Towards this, an MoU has been signed between Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Science and Technology (SCTIMST) in Kerala, under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the WHO.
“The Ministry of Science and Technology is proud to be a part of the MoU as it allows SCTIMST and Department of Science and Technology to enter into a partnership with global entrepreneurs, licensing the technologies and creating revenue generation through royalty,’ Jitendra said.
Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for Atmanirbhar Bharat during Covid times, Jitendra emphasised that by promoting indigenous manufacturing and reducing reliance on imports, this partnership strengthens India’s position as a leader in healthcare innovation. Additionally, it contributes to the development of a highly-skilled workforce, further enhancing the nation’s manufacturing capabilities, said the minister.
Jitendra also highlighted world-class facilities related to the development of technologies like in-vitro testing, genomics, precision medicine and vaccine production, adding that the technology developed by SCTIMST is a part of the rapidly-expanding ecosystem of medical diagnostics.