PM Imran Khan inaugurates cardiac stent manufacturing unit at NUST

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has inaugurated the cardiac stent manufacturing unit at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) which will turn Pakistan becoming the 18th global state for locally manufacturing stents, ARY News reported on Friday.

PM Imran Khan paid a visit to the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) Islamabad where he has inaugurated the cardiac stent manufacturing unit, N-Ovative Health Technology Facility. Pakistan becomes the second country among Muslim states for being capable of locally manufacture cardiac stents.

While addressing the ceremony, PM Imran Khan said that the mortality rate of cardiac diseases is very high in Pakistan and it is a praiseworthy decision to locally manufacture stents. The establishment of a facility for stents’ manufacturing is major progress, said Khan.

The premier said that there was a lack of direction and role of the past governments in different fields which are very important to put a country on a path of development. The trade deficit is a big burden on the national economy and no country could survive the crisis and reduce inflation until improving its income.

He highlighted that there was also a lack of coordination among institutions as compared to the 60’s era when the country was moving ahead in a good direction and its exports were gradually increasing. It is important to set the direction and mindset of the country, he urged.

A few countries around the world are manufacturing cardiac stents and its local production will visibly reduce the medical treatment cost of patients in Pakistan, said Imran Khan.

PM Khan said that the federal government is making maximum efforts to bring investment and businesses to Pakistan for improving the economy. Regarding overseas nationals, he said that the Pakistanis residing in foreign countries could serve the country by their skills.

“We have to make a pleasant environment for overseas Pakistanis here in the country as they are our precious asset. Our major issue is about being unaware of our capabilities and a vision is needed to explore the potentialities. Being just an Asian Tiger is not a vision, we can be anything as the human capabilities are unlimited.”

Among South Asian countries, cardiac stents will be manufactured in Pakistan after India.

In March 2020, the Drugs Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) had allowed the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) to produce heart stents locally. The DRAP had issued a license to the NUST to produce heart stents domestically.