Pak surgical, dental instruments capable of penetrating Malaysian market’

Kuala Lumpur:A wide spread of Pakistan surgical/dental instruments bedecking the Pakistan pavilion at the APHM International Healthcare Conference and Exhibition 2012 managed to interest and excite a large number of visitors and buyers visiting the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) to explore the three-day event here Wednesday.

The event being organized by Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) is featuring nearly 120 booths showcasing the latest technological advances in healthcare by exhibitors from Australia, China, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore and USA. The Pakistani pavilion has been set up jointly by Pakistan High Commission in Malaysia and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan which has also sent in a nine-member delegation comprising leading exporters of surgical/dental instruments to represent and introduce the Pakistani products to the Malaysian market.

Visiting the Pakistani pavilion, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Malaysia Mr. Masood Khalid said the Pakistani surgical and dental instruments were known throughout the world for their competitiveness, effectiveness and durability and were earning precious foreign exchange worth millions of dollars for the country.

He said Pakistani surgical and dental equipments were already reaching markets in the US, Europe and Middle East in large number and the ongoing visit of the Pakistani exporters to Malaysia and their participation in the world healthcare moot and exhibition would pave the way for the Pakistani products and instruments to make their way into the Malaysian market and others in the region.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani delegation besides attending the conference and exhibition, also held several key meetings Malaysian stakeholders, including the Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DPMM), Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), Malaysia Islamic Chamber of Commerce (DPIM), Medical Devices Bureau, Ministry of Health, Government of Malaysia to explore possibilities for the export of surgical/ dental instruments from Pakistan.

The delegation also held separate meetings with Mr. Amiruddin Abdul Sattar, Chief Operating Officer of KPJ Healthcare Bhd, Mr. Aminuddin Awang, Director of Pantai Holdings Berhad, YB Hj Abdul Malik Kassim, State Minister for Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, State Government of Penang, and Dato’ Hj Abdul Rafique Karim, Honorary Counsel General of Pakistan to Penang. Visits of the delegation to leading local hospitals, including the Tawakkal Hospital and the Gleneagles Hospital as well as a visit to Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone in the state of Penang, are also scheduled.

According to the Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SIMAP), Pakistan’s exports stand at US$225 million (2009-10) while the total capital investment in the surgical industry is estimated at Rs.20 billion. There are about 1000 to 1200 active small and medium surgical units with labour force ranging from (10-500). The number of workers in the surgical industry is about 500,000. The industry manufactures about 110 million instruments annually.

Pakistan mainly exports two types of surgical instruments, including the disposable instruments which constitute 80% of exports; reusable instruments which account for 19% of exports; and advanced devices which are 1% of the exports. The leading buyers of Pakistani surgical instruments are United States (US$57 million), Germany (US$34 million), United Kingdom (US$24 million), France (US$11 million), Brazil (US$8 million), Italy (US$7 million), Japan (US$6 million), Australia (US$5 million), UAE (US$5 million) and Mexico (US$4 million).