Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Aug 9 : Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh today hailed WHO collaboration with India for producing medical devices.
The Minister was speaking after the formal signing of MoU between WHO and the Department of Science & Technology through “Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Science & Technology” Thiruvananthapuram.
MoU signed between Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Science and Technology under Dept. of Science & Technology and WHO is a seminal step, said Dr. Jitendra Singh expressing his appreciation of the WHO for its humanitarian initiatives in India. He referred to the Covid technology access pool (CTAP) of the WHO, now known as Health technology access pool (HTAP), an excellent initiative as it gives access to successful health technologies to various countries.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said “Ministry of Science and Technology is glad to be a part of the MoU as it allows SCTIMST and the Department of Science and Technology to enter into a partnership with global entrepreneurs, licensing the technologies and creating revenue generation through royalty.”
Recalling PM Narendra Modi’s call for Atmanirbhar Bharat and self-reliant India during the hard COVID times in the year 2020, Dr. Jitendra Singh said despite producing indigenous devices we need to produce them at the required volume to meet the demand.
The Minister emphasised that by promoting indigenous manufacturing and reducing reliance on imports, this partnership strengthens India’s position as a leader in healthcare innovation. Additionally, it contributes to the development of a highly skilled workforce, further enhancing the nation’s manufacturing capabilities.
The Science and Technology Minister highlighted our world class facilities related to the development of technologies like in-vitro testing, genomics, precision medicine and vaccine production and added that technology developed by SCTIMST is a part of the rapidly expanding ecosystem of medical diagnostics.
Dr. Jitendra Singh expressed his confidence in the collaboration with WHO, which will result in more technology development as well as innovations and foster international partnerships to strengthen our medical, diagnostic, and therapeutic infrastructure and stay ahead in combating global diseases and future pandemics.
Dr. VK Saraswat, Member of NITI Aayog and President of SCTIMST, Dr. A Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Dr. Rogério Paulo Pinto de Sá Gaspar, Hon. Officiating Additional Director General and Director, Department of Regulation and Prequalification WHO, Geneva, Dr. Roderico H. Ofrin, World Health Organization Representative in India, Dr. Manisha Shridhar, Regional Advisor to South East Asia Regional Office, WHO, Dr Sanjay Behari, Director, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Science and Technology, Dr. H K Varma, Head, Biomedical Technology Wing, Dr. Anoop Thekkuveettil, Scientist G, members of INSA, DST, ICMR, DBT and other organisations, members of WHO, members of SCTIMST were also present for the meeting.
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