SSF Calls for Local Medical Device Manufacturing to Reduce Pakistan’s Import Dependence

The Saman-e-Shifa Foundation (SSF) has called for stronger government support to develop Pakistan’s medical-device manufacturing industry and reduce the country’s dependence on imported healthcare equipment.

The call came during the 5th Annual Conference of SSF, held at the Expo Centre Karachi as part of the 23rd Health Asia Expo & Conference. Organised with conference partner Easy Health Tech International, the event focused on the theme, “Boosting Medical Device Development in Pakistan — From Import Dependency to Local Innovation.”

Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal, who attended as chief guest, backed greater domestic production while stressing that locally manufactured medical devices must meet recognised standards of quality, safety and performance.

Mustafa Kamal said Pakistan could not continue spending valuable foreign exchange on medical products that local engineers and manufacturers had the capacity to produce. He said the government should also review the tax burden on imported life-saving equipment, particularly as it seeks to improve access to medical technology and encourage industrial investment.

“If Pakistani manufacturers produce quality medical equipment, it can initially save valuable foreign exchange and, in the long run, increase exports and earn foreign exchange for the country,” the minister said.

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He stressed that local production must not compromise patient safety. Medical devices used in critical-care units, operating theatres and diagnostic laboratories, he said, must comply with recognised quality standards and regulatory requirements.

The minister also said the Ministry of National Health Services and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) were introducing reforms to facilitate businesses, accelerate regulatory procedures and make medical-device registration more transparent and fully digital. The government is targeting completion of the registration process within 21 days.

SSF Chairman Prof. Dr Shahid Noor has consistently maintained that affordability cannot come at the expense of safety. He said rigorous testing, compliance with international protocols and alignment with accreditation standards should be incorporated into medical-device production from the beginning.

Pakistan’s medical-device market presents a major opportunity for domestic industry. The country imports nearly $3 billion worth of medical devices annually, while exports remain negligible, placing continued pressure on foreign exchange reserves and leaving healthcare providers heavily dependent on international supply chains.

SSF has also become involved in the policy process. Prof. Dr Noor has been inducted at DRAP to contribute to the development of Pakistan’s Medical Device Policy and has worked to bring regulators, manufacturers, importers, hospitals and academic institutions into a consultative process.

The Foundation previously contributed to the National Medical Device Directory 2025 and the National Medical Device Policy 2026 framework. Maj. Gen. Dr Eijaz Ghani (Retd.) of the Institute of Pakistan Medical Device Industry and Omer Ahmed, President of the Healthcare Devices Association of Pakistan (HDAP), also participated in an SSF joint consultation with industry stakeholders.

SSF submitted a series of recommendations to the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), including a mandatory public-sector procurement quota of 30–50% for DRAP-approved Made-in-Pakistan medical devices in government and military hospitals.

The recommendations also call for a 10-year sales tax holiday on locally manufactured devices, exemptions on duties and taxes for raw materials and manufacturing equipment, and a fast-track DRAP approval mechanism for indigenous medical-device innovation.

SSF has further proposed a permanent seat for the Foundation on the DRAP Policy Board and Medical Device Board, along with the creation of a Special Medical Device Manufacturing Fund targeting blended financing of $300 million to $500 million between 2025 and 2035 for small and medium-sized enterprises, manufacturing scale-up, export certification and research and development.

The Foundation has also called for export-focused growth through CPEC Phase-II partnerships, with an emphasis on international certification, regulatory harmonisation, joint ventures and technology transfer.

A separate SSF-PEMDA Memorandum of Understanding was signed under the banner “Partnership for a Healthier Pakistan — People | Innovation | Impact.” The agreement focuses on promoting Made-in-Pakistan electromedical equipment, technology transfer, local manufacturing and wider access to safe and affordable medical devices.

SSF CEO Ar. Syed Arif Shah welcomed participants and highlighted the Foundation’s five-year journey under its founding principle of “Affordable and Accessible Healthcare for Humanity.”

Prof. Dr Noor was presented with an Honorary Medallion by Prof. Dr Syed Tipu Sultan. Keynote presentations were delivered by Prof. Dr Murtaza Najabat Ali and Ms Nida Ali on Made-in-Pakistan life-supporting medical devices.

A high-level panel discussion on the National Medical Device Policy and SSF’s stakeholder consultation was moderated by Engr. Naeem Ilyas Khanani, COO of Easy Health Tech. The panel included representatives from HDAP, Alsons Technologies, Bioniks, Hakimi MedTech, 5G Healthcare and DRAP.

An Experience Zone at the conference showcased locally developed technologies from Bukhari Medical, Alsons, Vivomed, VERSAtech, Kangaroo Care, Aprus Technologies and ZAI Vinci Dynamics.

Federal Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal visited the zone and appreciated the progress made by Pakistan’s local medical-device industry compared with the previous year.

SSF said a national medical-device policy should ultimately be judged by its impact on patients rather than simply by the number of factories established. The Foundation argues that stronger domestic manufacturing can make essential equipment more affordable, expand access to healthcare and reduce dependence on imports while maintaining strict safety and quality standards.

Founded in 2021, the Saman-e-Shifa Foundation is a Pakistani not-for-profit organisation focused on making healthcare affordable and accessible. Its board includes doctors, engineers, architects, researchers and industrialists, while its strategy centres on developing an ecosystem for indigenous production of high-quality medical devices at affordable prices.