A nine-member delegation of surgical/dental instruments exporters of Pakistan arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to attend APHM International Healthcare Conference and Exhibition 2012 being held from July 17-19 in the Malaysian capital.
Pakistan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur told Business Recorder in an e-mail message that the three-day event being organised by Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) would feature 120 booths showcasing the latest technological advances in healthcare by exhibitors from Australia, China, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore and USA.
During its stay in Malaysia, the Pakistani delegation would also hold meetings with key 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 is also scheduled to hold separate meetings with Amiruddin Abdul Sattar, Chief Operating Officer of KPJ Healthcare Bhd; 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.
Besides meeting the key government officials, the delegation is also slated to visit leading local hospitals, including the Tawakkal Hospital and the Gleneagles Hospital, besides a visit to Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone in the state of Penang.
It may be added that the world market for surgical instruments is over 30 billion dollars. According to the Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SIMAP), Pakistan's exports stand at dollars 225 million (2009-10) while the total capital investment in the surgical industry is estimated at Rs 20 billion. There are about 1,000 to 1,200 active small and medium surgical units. 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 percent of exports; reusable instruments which account for 19 percent of exports; and advanced devices which are one percent of the exports. The leading buyers of Pakistani surgical instruments are United States (57 million dollars), Germany (34 million dollars), United Kingdom (24 million dollars), France (11 million dollars), Brazil (eight million dollars), Italy (seven million dollars), Japan (six million dollars), Australia (five million dollars), UAE (five million dollars) and Mexico (four million dollars).