Pakistan launches first national institute for Medical Device Industry to boost healthcare innovation

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th May, 2026) In a significant development for Pakistan’s healthcare and industrial sectors, the country’s first national platform, the Institute of Pakistan Medical Device Industry, has been inaugurated to promote industrial growth and strengthen public health systems.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Asif Mahmood, CEO Global Healthcare; Inayatullah, CEO Nisaimex; Zafar Mehmood, CEO LDS; Abdur Rehman Allana, CEO Alsons; Najam-ul-Saqib, CEO UNISA Pvt Ltd; along with leading industrialists, academics, policymakers, regulatory officials, and representatives from the public health sector.

Zafar Mehmood, Acting President of the Institute of Pakistan Medical Device Industry (IPMDI), Dr. Abdul Wali Khan, Director General (Health), Federal Government of Pakistan, Dr. Fakhrudin Amir from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Dr. Shahid Mehmood Baig from the Health Services

Academy, Shahid Noor from Saman-e-Shifa, Fahad Barlas, Vice President, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Tahir Ayub, Senior Vice President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, addressed the ceremony.

Speakers highlighted the growing importance of medical technology, diagnostic facilities, and innovation in improving healthcare delivery in Pakistan. They noted that despite its potential, the medical device industry faces challenges, including limited resources, inconsistent industrial support, and the absence of sustained industry-friendly policies.

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They stressed that meeting the country’s rising healthcare demands requires greater investment, enhanced local production, and a stronger culture of innovation.

Representatives from key national institutions, including the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Health Services academy, COMSATS, and others, welcomed the initiative, terming it a milestone for Pakistan’s medical device sector. They emphasized that stronger collaboration between academia and industry is essential for national progress, particularly in advancing research, innovation, and skilled workforce development.

Participants also expressed concern over the increasing burden of communicable diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV in the country. They underlined that locally produced, cost-effective medical devices and diagnostic technologies could play a vital role in addressing public health challenges, especially in undeserved regions with limited access to healthcare facilities.

The speakers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s healthcare system through industry collaboration, effective policymaking, and institutional coordination.

They added that the establishment of the Institute of Pakistan Medical Device Industry marks not only the launch of an institution but also the beginning of a new era of healthcare advancement and industrial development in the country.