With Pakistan heavily reliant on imported medical devices, federal health authorities and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) on Friday urged pharmaceutical companies and device importers to invest in local manufacturing—starting with basic devices and gradually progressing to complex technologies. Industry representatives, meanwhile, demanded significant tax concessions and ease of doing business to kickstart local production.
Speaking at the ‘Breaking Barriers’ session of the Pakistan Med Movement at Salim Habib University, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal emphasized the urgent need for self-sufficiency in healthcare infrastructure.
“We can’t continue to depend on imported devices forever. The solution lies in encouraging local production, and the government will extend complete regulatory support for this transformation,” he said.
He warned, however, that unless Pakistan controls its surging population, even improved medical infrastructure would not suffice.
“Our hospitals have collapsed. Primary healthcare is in shambles. We are producing more people, then making them sick, and finally talking about building hospitals,” he remarked, pointing to a system overwhelmed by unaddressed population growth.
The event, held in collaboration with DRAP, the Healthcare Devices Association of Pakistan (HDAP), Saman & Shifa Foundation, and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), brought together regulators, manufacturers, academia, and policymakers to discuss pathways for strengthening local device manufacturing.
Mustafa Kamal also highlighted Pakistan’s public health crises, noting that 68 percent of diseases in the country stem from unsafe water due to nonexistent sewage treatment systems. “Sewage water is mixing with drinking water and someone is consuming it. Just like we install electricity systems, we must also install water treatment plants,” he said, adding that Pakistan now tops the world in Hepatitis C and diabetes prevalence due to a lack of preventive strategies.
“We are investing billions in curative infrastructure but ignoring preventive healthcare. Prevention is the only way out.”
DRAP Chief Executive Officer Dr. Obaidullah Malik told the gathering that Pakistan’s medical device manufacturing sector is still in its infancy but holds potential. “You can’t manufacture MRI machines overnight. Start small, grow gradually, and work together,” he advised.
He urged the pharmaceutical industry to take the lead in building a new ecosystem for medical technology and lamented the disconnect between academia, industry, and regulators in Pakistan. “Invisible barriers exist between stakeholders. Everyone thinks they are right. We must begin to understand each other’s challenges.”
Former HDAP Chairman and CEO of Hospicare, Masood Ahmed, welcomed DRAP’s recent efforts to streamline registration of devices within three months, calling it a “good start” toward regulatory facilitation. However, he stressed that the biggest hurdle remains the 18 percent sales tax on medical devices. “This must be reduced to one percent—just like pharmaceuticals—if we want to promote local manufacturing,” he said.
Masood Ahmed also reiterated HDAP’s demand to remove broader structural and fiscal bottlenecks. “We are ready to invest, but the government must support us with tax relief, a reduction in manufacturing costs, and an overall environment that supports business growth.”
The session titled “Quality Device Manufacturing in Pakistan: Challenges and Opportunities” was moderated by HDAP Chairman Syed Omer Ahmed and brought together voices from the government, academia, and the healthcare industry.
Speaking at the session, Syed Omer Ahmed emphasized that the event aimed to promote local manufacturing of medical devices, especially as 98 percent of such devices are currently imported. “In a country like Pakistan, where availability is a major concern, essential medical devices must be produced locally to ensure consistent supply,” he said.
He maintained that HDAP members, many of whom are currently importers, are willing to shift toward local manufacturing but need facilitation in terms of easier registration processes and removal of regulatory bottlenecks.
“We are also demanding that sales tax on medical devices be reduced to one percent under the 8th schedule, similar to pharmaceuticals, to make local production financially viable,” he asserted.
Experts at the forum said while the healthcare challenges facing Pakistan are formidable, a strategic shift towards localized production of medical technology—backed by regulatory reform and public-private collaboration—can create lasting resilience in the system.
