To grow SA’s prospects in the medical technology (medtech) sector, the Department of Trade, Industry & Competition (DTIC) has unveiled a master plan aimed at expanding local production, reducing the dependence on imports, and creating jobs.
The pandemic illustrated the pitfalls of the country’s excessive reliance on imports, the inadequate supply of essential products, and the urgent need to optimise the economic and health system advantages of building a stronger local medtech industry, reports ITWeb.
Spearheaded by the DTIC, the project was launched in partnership with industry, government and labour at the Industrial Development Corporation in Johannesburg on Monday.
Signatories include the DTIC, national Department of Health, South African Medical Technology Industry Association (SAMED), CSIR and Medical Device Manufacturers of South Africa.
The aim is to strengthen the sector and set it on a growth trajectory over the next three years. A focus will be on developing small and medium enterprises to eventually supply domestic and international markets.
DTIC Minister Ebrahim Patel said South Africa currently imports medical tech products worth more than R26bn. “We want to localise and produce some of these here, and be able to export to the European Union and Britain, and other African countries, particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“South Africa has a history of innovation; a South African was the co-inventor of the CT scanner, for example. There are many other products of innovation.
“This (plan) brings together industry regulator SAHPRA and the national Department of Health, which will collaborate on procurement from South African producers.”
SAMED notes that most assembled medtech products and materials necessary for the limited and mainly small-scale local manufacturing are imported, presenting a significant portion of SA’s trade deficit.
IT Web article – Master plan aims to elevate SA’s medtech sector (Open access)
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