Pakistan becomes 18th country globally to produce cardiac stents

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate the first-ever local cardiac stent producing unit in the country at NUST University on Friday (tomorrow) as Pakistan has become the 18^th country globally to produce it, ARY NEWS reported on Thursday.

Besides leading the globe, Pakistan has also become the second Muslim country after Turkey which would produce cardiac stents locally while in South Asia, only India is producing it locally.

The prime minister will visit the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) tomorrow, where he would inaugurate the unit locally producing cardiac stents. Imran Khan would monitor the process of stent production besides also addressing the students of the NUST.

The local production would help the country in saving Rs8 billion annually.

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

The DRAP issued a license to the NUST to produce heart stents domestically.

Showing his pleasure over the development at that time, Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said the production of heart stents domestically, will help in reducing its prices that will ultimately help the patients.

It is pertinent to mention here that cardiac stents are small expandable tubes that are used to treat narrowed arteries.

In people with coronary heart disease caused by the build-up of plaque, stents can open narrowed arteries and reduce symptoms such as chest pain, and help to prevent cardiac arrest.