Locally manufactured medical devices have sparked interest from delegates attending the Africa Health Exhibition, underway at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.
The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) is hosting 30 local companies that are showcasing locally manufactured medical devices at the South African Pavilion that is part of the Africa Health Exhibition.
The Africa Health Exhibition is the largest gathering of healthcare companies, technology, products and services in the African continent which features 560 exhibiting companies from 39 countries and a host of accredited conferences and workshops.
Speaking at the exhibition, Director of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices at the dti, Swasthi Soomaroo, said that she was pleased that the pavilion demonstrated South Africa’s diversity and capability in manufacturing products that ranged from consumable devices to high value add equipment, among others.
“We received Ministers of Health from Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Namibia, Uganda, Zambia, Mozambique and Lesotho and they all were keen to observe our capabilities as a country.
“They had expressed interest in some of the locally manufactured products and had also undertaken to return to further discuss possibilities of procuring some of these products,” she said.
The Procurement Member of the Medical Device Manufacturers of South Africa (MDMSA), Clinton Shahim, explained that their role is to advise and provide the industry with assistance.
“We look at issues that are relevant to local manufacturers, then guide members on government grants, exhibitions and upcoming conferences. We try to bring various industry players together in order to enable collaboration between companies in various areas. We also have a big focus on local content and lobby government to buy from local manufacturers,” Shahim said.
Member of Evergreen Latex, Katie Lang, explained that her company has previously benefitted from the Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme to expand the warehouse and to purchase packaging machinery.
“The reception has thus far been a welcomed eye-opener. We have also liaised with some of our competitors and I do take comfort that we have a very special product on our hands. Our latex gloves contain more latex than your average gloves and they are also comfortable and rate highly when tested against allergies,” said Lang. – SAnews.gov.za
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