Pakistan’s two top-notch companies and an engineering regulatory body emerged on the same page in a moot in the federal capital that the joint effort of the country’s industry can make miracles in terms of local manufacturing of engineering products that swallow billions of dollars through their import.
The Alsons Group of Industries, a leading industrial group in Pakistan, and Systems Limited, a known IT company seemed to agree to launch a joint effort for innovation and local production of medical devices and the support system in the field of the healthcare system. The Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) assured them of its complete support at every step.
The moot titled ‘Innovations in Healthcare’ was organized by The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Committee (I&EE), Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) in a local hotel.
Alsons Group of Industries, a leading industrial group in Pakistan collaborated in the event, sponsored by Systems Limited, the premier technology organization in Pakistan, with a track record of over 45 years of providing successful solutions to complex business problems under digital, data, cloud and business traveled process outsourcing.
The guest speaker David J. Howard, is a known medical professor, and technologist to Pakistan from the UK.
Engr. Najeeb Haroon said Pakistan needs a lot to be done and he appreciated Dr. Howard’s initiative to travel to Pakistan at his own expense. ‘I assure you that PEC will continue to support innovative initiatives, he added.
Mr. Howard gave a detailed presentation on the latest innovations in medical sciences, biomedical engineering, and devices.
He also shared his global experience as regards new needs and requirements in the field of health care systems in developing countries.
He was of the view that Pakistan has an enormous potential in healthcare. Why? Because he said you are in the land of the greatest civilization and lessons are to be learned from history.
He talked about how the joint effort of the people from different fields, governments, engineers, physicists, chemists, doctors, etc. made possible medical equipment and devices in human history.
People even call innovators mad and later their inventions were widely used. He gave an example of Dr. Archie Brain who was called mad but his invention Laryngeal Mask was being used up to 56 percent by 2018 by anesthetists.
He talked about new ideas and old ones reworked saying we should see the pst for the future.
Only wealthy countries have sufficient ventilators, which are highly sophisticated. He asked if there was a treatment method for both wealthy and poor people.
Yes, negative pressure breathing support devices were first designed in the 19th century. They are much safer and more effective than modern positive pressure ventilators. The Alsons Group, he said made one small and efficient device called Allno Ventura.
He had his reasons why Exovent is efficient as he said it did not need oxygen.
He said the main requirement of the future is that the present and next generation of doctors should keep an open mind to research and reintroduce negative pressure respiratory support alongside positive pressure devices. ‘We need to develop both, each has its advantages and disadvantages. We need systems to treat respiratory disease in every country.
Chairman, Alsons Group Abdul Rehman Allana
shared his experience of how his industry started manufacturing biomedical devices and became the very first Pakistani company to produce locally manufactured devices.
He dwelt upon the history of Alsons and what it had been producing. We are very focused on our goals and the epicenter is Pakistan, contributing to the national effort.
‘We are ready for mass production of ventilators after DRAP approvals.
He said the efforts are also on to making Exovent, a negative pressure respiratory machine. ‘I think we shall develop negative pressure device while many other countries are also doing it.
He says Pakistan needs a lot of companies on board, together they can make locally made products and export things worth billions of dollars as we have every advantage which we should use in the medical field.
Mr. Ashraf ul Kabir, Senior Vice President, Engineering highlighted the market and technology trends present in the healthcare sector and the contributions done by Systems Limited in terms of expertise and solutions to healthcare clients globally. “Systems Limited is working tremendously and in-depth in the healthcare sector by leveraging data in each stage of the whole pharma process using data analytics,” said Mr. Ashraf ul Kabir.
Dr. Bhawany Shankar Chaudhry said in his welcome address said David J. Howard will take the moot in the history of innovations. He told the moot about the background of how this program became a reality. ‘We believe it is the most relevant program in terms of biomedical engineering, producing devices and products for our healthcare systems.
The moot was participated by Secretary Planning & Development, Special Secretary Health, CEO Ignite, officials from DRAP, professors from NUST and other engineering, universities, NESCOM, doctors, and medical technologists. n
