InvestPenang, the state investment arm, held a special exhibition and dialogue session today to promote locally manufactured medical devices.
The one-day programme took place at the InvestPenang office in Bayan Lepas.
The programme was for the local medical device manufacturers to engage closely with representatives from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) and Medical Device Authorities (MDA).
The special exhibition and dialogue session also gathered 13 local key manufacturers in the medical device industry to enable them to showcase their products to the ministries’ representatives.
InvestPenang chief executive officer Datuk Loo Lee Lian said today’s event displayed Penang’s capabilities to the ministries and opened up opportunities for the local medical technology (MedTech) players in Penang to contribute to Malaysia’s healthcare system.
“As we know, over the years, Penang has successfully cultivated a matured medical device ecosystem, with a growing number of emerging local MedTech players.
“The medical device industry expansion in Penang is largely a spin-off and attributed to the matured electrical and electronics (E&E) supply chain, which seamlessly integrates into the production of medical devices.
“With such an event today, we can also showcase the local manufacturers’ capabilities, potential market opportunities, as well as an ecosystem for technology transfer, commercialisation and marketing of local R&D products,” Loo said in her speech during the programme today.
Also present were Miti Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa and Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin.
Loo added that the 13 local participating companies presented a range of products, innovative ideas and solutions in the MedTech space, including orthopaedic implants, medical disposable products, test kits, single-use devices, and inhalers, among others,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Zaliha said she saw potential for future collaboration between MoH and local medical device manufacturers who participated in the programme today.
“We will see after this whether these local manufacturers can provide medical equipment to MoH to be used at the government hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities,” she said.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar