Kamal wants ‘Made in Pakistan’ medical devices as industry seeks tax cuts

Pledging to facilitate the local production of medical equipment and devices, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal on Friday urged Pakistan’s medical devices industry to bring in international partners, invest in technology transfer, and reduce dependence on imports in order to ensure national health security.

“I would urge the medical device industry to bring international companies to Pakistan for local manufacturing of medical devices, enter into joint ventures, and focus on technology transfer so we can end dependence on foreign devices and ensure national health security,” he said while addressing the 8th Annual General Meeting of the Healthcare Devices Association of Pakistan (HDAP) in Karachi.

He said Pakistan had high expectations from its medical devices industry sector and emphasised the need for innovation, research and locally produced top-quality equipment for both domestic and export markets.

The federal minister also highlighted reforms in the registration system of medical devices, claiming that digitisation had reduced the registration period from 18–36 months to just 20 days, with 500 devices already approved under the new system.

“We are working to create an enabling environment. Registration no longer requires visiting Islamabad. We want to restore confidence in locally manufactured devices, promote indigenous production, and build an ecosystem where Pakistan can flourish in healthcare as well as in exports,” Kamal noted.

He also touched on Karachi’s challenges with water and sanitation but stressed its potential to lead the country out of crisis.

In response, leaders of the industry welcomed the minister’s commitment to boosting the industry but sought urgent tax relief. HDAP Chairman Syed Omer Ahmed said the current 18 per cent sales tax on imported devices was unsustainable and should be reduced in line with the pharmaceutical industry.

“Manufacturing of medical devices is the future of Pakistan, but the high sales tax discourages both local production and imports. Rationalization of taxes would facilitate both patients and industry,” he said, calling for contract manufacturing to be allowed and promoted like that in China.

Ahmed acknowledged improvements in the online registration system but pointed out persistent issues. “Some files remain pending and certificates are not being issued despite approvals. Without certification, companies cannot sell products even after registration,” he said.

He added that in many cases, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) had approved applications but failed to issue certificates, resulting in devices expiring in warehouses, causing financial losses to importers and denying patients’ access to essential equipment.

Drap CEO Dr Obaidullah Malik described amendments to medical device rules as “the need of the hour” to support local production. He recalled how the Covid-19 pandemic underscored the vital role of devices ranging from masks and PPEs to ventilators, CPAPs, BiPAPs, and oximeters.

“We saw the importance of medical devices during the pandemic. Now we are working to evolve regulations that enable indigenous production and make Drap a facilitator and enabler,” he said, stressing Sialkot’s role as a global hub for surgical instruments and its potential to expand exports.

Former HDAP chairman Masood Ahmed praised Kamal and the Drap CEO for recognising the crucial role of medical devices in health care delivery. He said their efforts to facilitate the medical devices industry were vital in ensuring timely access to essential equipment in the country.

Dr Shahid Noor of the Saman-e-Shifa Foundation stressed the need for collaborative efforts, saying local production was not possible without active support from Drap and the health ministry.

On the occasion, three prominent health care figures — Prof Abdul Bari Khan, Prof Abdul Ghaffar Billo, and Prof Tipu Sultan — were honored with HDAP lifetime achievement awards for their services to the sector.