Another landmark: Pakistan becomes 18th country in the world to manufacture heart stents

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has joined the list of few countries having the technology to produce heart stents locally after Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the N-Ovative Health Technology Facility at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) today.

The PM Office said that the facility will be the first to locally manufacture cardiac stents, adding that it will also make Pakistan the 18th country in the world to do so.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry had said Pakistan will be taking “another big step” in medical technology with the inauguration of the facility.

“Today, the prime minister is inaugurating [a] heart stents manufacturing [facility] at NUST Science Park,” tweeted the minister. He added that the stents will be produced according to European standards, and would put Pakistan among a group of select countries that can produce stents.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said that Pakistan would become the 'second Muslim country' in the world and South Asia after Turkey and India, respectively, to produce stents.

“It will save Rs 8 billion annually in foreign exchange. Congratulations to the nation and scientists,” said Gill.