Daily Times

Aimed at promoting the made in Pakistan policy of the incumbent government, the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) on Saturday asked federal health authorities to ensure the use of locally-manufactured stents and catheters during cardiac treatment at government hospitals, ARY NEWS reported.

In a letter conveyed to the Ministry of National Health Services, the NUST said that these locally-made medical supplies were available in the government hospitals and should be used on priority in these health institutions.

“It should be made compulsory for the government hospitals to use local cardiac devices,” the NUST said adding that the cardiac stents and catheters manufactured locally were upto the international standards.

It further said that the cardiac equipment is being tested by the labs in the United States and Germany besides also being approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for use in the country.

The NUST further said that the country could save money after using locally manufactured stents and catheters as their import, according to sources, cost the country around Rs8.5 billion annually.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the cardiac stent manufacturing unit at the NUST as Pakistan became the 18th global state for locally manufacturing this cardiac device.

PM Imran Khan paid a visit to the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) Islamabad on October 16 this year where he inaugurated the cardiac stent manufacturing unit, N-Ovative Health Technology Facility.

Pakistan becomes the second country among Muslim states for being capable of locally manufacture cardiac stents.