Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday assured full government support for the testing, quality verification and commercial production of locally developed ventilators and high-flow oxygen machines.
He said the government was giving the highest priority to research and innovation in the healthcare sector and would provide all necessary assistance to make the devices ready for practical use.
“The government is attaching the highest priority to research and innovation in healthcare. We will provide all necessary support for testing, quality verification and commercial production of these locally developed medical devices,” the prime minister said.
He gave the assurance during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat in the afternoon, according to Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.
At the meeting, the prime minister praised the experts and researchers who developed the two medical devices using local technology.
He also assured them of assistance in completing the necessary testing and preparing the ventilator and high-flow oxygen machine for commercial production.
The researchers presented the effectiveness, potential and future development plans of the devices.
The meeting was informed that two separate teams of specialists had developed the ventilator and the high-flow oxygen machine.
Officials said the devices could be introduced in hospitals across the country after receiving the required regulatory approvals and completing clinical trials. They could also have export potential in international markets.
As the machines have been developed locally, they are expected to be manufactured and marketed at comparatively lower costs, making advanced healthcare services more affordable for patients, they said.
The researchers also said successful production and widespread use of the devices would help reduce Bangladesh’s dependence on imported medical technology.
The ventilator is designed for critically ill patients suffering from severe respiratory complications. It will undergo further testing and evaluation to ensure safety, effectiveness and compliance with international standards.
The high-flow oxygen machine is intended for patients with common respiratory problems. It can operate without electricity, making it suitable for use in remote areas with limited power supply and in ambulances during emergency patient transport.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, State Minister M A Muhit, the prime minister’s Special Assistant on Health Affairs S M Ziauddin Hyder, Health Services Division Secretary Md Quamruzzaman Chowdhury, BUET Pro-Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Shariful Islam, Prime Minister’s Office physician Associate Professor Shah Muhammad Aman Ullah, the prime minister’s Assistant Private Secretary-1 Mamun Shibly and other officials attended the meeting.
