Medtech zone will help minimize dependency on medical device imports: Andhra CM

Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said the newly-inaugurated Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone (AMTZ) at Pedagantyada in Visakhapatnam district would help significantly in slashing medical imports.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the fourth WHO Global Forum on Medical Devices after dedicating the AMTZ to the nation on Thursday, Naidu said: "80-90 per cent of the medical devices in the country were imported and most of them could be manufactured at the AP Medtech Zone. Even exports could be taken up at a later stage. The park will give a tremendous boost to the medical devices segment in the healthcare industry."

Furthermore, Naidu revealed that many companies have shown interest in setting up units at the Medtech Zone to manufacture medical devices, thus creating an opportunity for large-scale employment.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who was also present on the occasion, congratulated the Andhra Pradesh government for setting up the AMTZ.

"The NDA government is giving a lot of importance to healthcare and took up the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme for the poorer sections. The Centre has also played its part in setting up two incubation centres in the zone," he added.