By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: As a ground-breaking initiative in Pakistan’s medical device industry, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday inaugurated the first facility in the country that will locally manufacture cardiac stents.
The facility ‘N-ovative Health Technologies‘ at National University of Science and Technology (NUST) has started mass production of cardiac stents and angioplasty balloon catheters for general public at affordable prices.
The Prime Minister said with a large number of heart patients in the country, the step was significant in provision of medical treatment with an exponential price difference besides facilitating the financially weaker sections of society.
He expressed satisfaction over NUST setting a precedent of an academia-industry linkup, which he said, was extremely important in exploring the benefits of knowledge and innovation in true spirit. He said excelling in field of science and technology could be no difficult for a country which developed its nuclear capabilities, however the “fracture mindset” was the main reason behind such lagging.
“We, as nation, need to set ahead clear goals with all institutions and government departments working in unison for their achievement,” he said. Imran Khan stressed that increasing exports and wealth creation were the vital targets in order to avoid approaching the International Monetary Fund and also referred to the examples of China and Turkey that focused on exports for economic stability.
He said the government was encouraging local and foreign investments to stimulate a business boom in the country. He termed overseas Pakistanis the country’s “biggest asset” and emphasized on creating an enabling environment to benefit from their investment and expertise.
Imran Khan said the government’s top priority would be creating a knowledge economy to tap the full potential of world’s second youngest population. Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said Pakistan had achieved yet another success in the field of medical equipment in production of best quality, safe and cost-effective cardiovascular devices.
Terming it a trend-setting initiative in a country like Pakistan, he expressed hope that other industrial groups would also follow the same trail and contribute to help revolutionize the medical device industry.A cardiac stent is used to treat narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. It can also be used to improve blood flow immediately following a heart attack.
Pakistan’s first coronary stent system has features including low recoil, superior cobalt chromium alloy, optimum crossing profile and crush resistance, and excellent bio-compatibility. The N-ovative Health Technologies at NUST will produce medical devices and implants including Bare-metal Stents (BMS), Drug-eluting Stents (DES) and Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty Balloon Catheters (PTCA balloon catheters).
The event was attended by Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Planning Minister Asad Umer, Rector NUST, academicians and higher officials.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday chaired a meeting of parliamentary parties included in the federal coalition government and took them into confidence over the strategy to deal with the rising prices of food commodities and protest movement led by opposition parties. The meeting mulled over the social, political, and inflation-related situation in the country as the prime minister shed light on the action plan prepared to bring down the food prices.
Speaking during the meeting, Imran Khan said that sufficient wheat supply is being ensured in the country and more improvement will be witnessed in the coming days. The meeting also mulled over the protest movement and public gatherings announced by the opposition parties. “No one is ready to buy the narrative of the opposition parties,” said the prime minister while commenting on the situation and added that those who had looted the country and are involved in money laundering have once again joined hands with each other.
“There is no threat to the government from people wanted by NAB in corruption cases,” he said and added that the protest campaign by the opposition parties will be a major flop. He said that the opposition leaders have nothing to do and their successive public gatherings will further expose them.
Meanwhile, the economic team of the prime minister came under severe criticism over the rising inflation in the country as members lamented that they were not able to perform well to cope up with the situation.
PTI MNA Sana Ullah Khan Masti Khel asked the prime minister to change his team citing their incompetency. “There is a serious concern among masses over gas and electricity tariffs in the country,” he said as other members also seconded him.
