Medical device manufacturing sector has remained nascent, leading to tremendous import dependency. Lack of domestic manufacturing of medical devices is the main reasons for this import dependency and high cost of medical products and services in the country. of Andhra Pradesh aims to establish country’s first Andhra Pradesh Medical Technology Zone (AMTZ) at Vishakhapatnam. The goal of this progressive initiative would be to make Andhra Pradesh an internationally recognized manufacturing hub for medical devices, help in national agenda of import substitution, make Andhra Pradesh a leader in medical technology exports, generate employment, and contribute to volume generated cost reduction of medical devices for patients. In a meeting organized on 6th Nov, 2015, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh shared his vision on this important project with Medical Devices Manufacturing Association, Central Govt. officials and State Health Authorities. The creation of such a zone is based on the fact that medical devices manufacturing requires certain high investment facilities which are too capital intensive for individual manufactures to invest upon. The zone with in-house high investment scientific facilities would help manufacturers reduce the cost of manufacturing by more than 40%-50%. Currently, due to lack of such centrally located sharable facilities, either manufacturers do not undertake production of technologies requiring them or send their products abroad for process up-gradation and value addition. While the zone would have all such facilities in-house to reduce manufacturing process costs, it would be located in an area which is well connected with Railways, Roadways, Waterways and Airways with near presence of Industrial Corridors, Port and Harbor to reduce logistical costs. The zone will provide for certain capital intensive facilities required by most medical device manufacturers and modern state of art 75-100 independent manufacturing units, each of a built-in ready to use area of 1 to 2 acres. Government of Andhra Pradesh has developed 270 acres of land for this project. The zone would include following facilities over an area of 50 acre:
A. B. Electro-magnetic interference laboratory. C. Medical grade low vacuum molding, cabinet molding, injection molding centres. D. 3 D designing and printing for medical grade products. E. Sterilization & Toxicity testing centre. F. Radiation testing centre. G. Warehousing. H. Regulator’s office. I. Other facilities commonly required in manufacturing of medical devices.
