World-class medical equipment Maker 'ANC 'plans to reduce import dependence

• Entrepreneurs of the local company say that the products here are playing an important role in meeting the demand of the country. These equipments are being used in major medical colleges and university hospitals of the country. They are also thinking of exporting to meet the local demand.

The market value of the equipment required for treatment in Bangladesh is at least Tk 20,000 crore. 90% of these equipments are imported. The remaining 10 percent is being made in the country and they are of international standard. ANC Medical Devices BD Limited is one of the companies supplying this 10 percent.

The company set up a Big factory in Dhamrai, not far from the capital Dhaka, four years ago.

When the factory was inspected on Saturday, the organizers said that the factory currently has 3,000 workers. Eighty percent of the raw materials are procured from the local market. Technical assistance was taken from Germany, South Korea, China and India.

Entrepreneurs of the local company say that the products here are playing an important role in meeting the demand of the country. These equipments are being used in major medical colleges and university hospitals of the country. They are also thinking of exporting to meet the local demand.

They said the health department had approved the manufacture of 22 products at the factory. Of these, 5 products (three types of disposable syringes, alcohol pre-pads and vacuum blood collection tubes) are being produced and marketed.

The 22 approved products also include Insulin Syringes, Disposable Needles, Infusion Sets, First Aid Bandages, Scalp Vane Sets or Butterfly Needles, Blood Collection Straight Needles or Flashbacks, Blood Collection Butterfly Needles, Ivy, Ivy Umbilical cord clamp, blood transfusion set and spinal needle.

Officials said ANC is the first vacuum blood collection tube manufacturer in Bangladesh. They hope the company will be able to meet local demand within three years.

Mostafa Zaman, Executive Director (Operations) of the company, said, “The ANC factory is the result of our relentless hard work for four years. I am confident that ANC will bring positive change in the medical device market in Bangladesh.

"The main goal of the ANC is to create world-class medical and surgical devices by applying innovative technologies to ensure safe healthcare," he said.

Mostafa Zaman said ANC is an organization of GME Group. Graphic Machinery and Equipment (GME) Group, established in 1986, has been providing world class medical and surgical equipment to the country's healthcare sector for over 30 years. The ANC is moving forward with technical cooperation from Germany, South Korea, China and India.

"Apart from ensuring national healthcare and protection, the ANC is saving huge foreign exchange through this initiative, which will strengthen the national economy," he said.

'ANC is creating 3,000 new jobs in Bangladesh. ANC is considering exporting products produced to meet local demand.

Mostafa Zaman said that ANC is making 0.5 ml auto-disabled syringe and this syringe cannot be used more than once.

The company's general manager (production) said. Vijay Kumar Sharma has 36 years of experience working in the medical equipment sector in India.

He told  “During my long career, I have worked with several leading medical device manufacturers in India. However, I have not seen such a modern and super structured medical device factory as ANC Medical Device BD. '

After inspecting the factory, Malay Kumar Mitra, former Deputy Drugs Controller of India, said that ANC Medical Devices has set up a beautiful and super structured medical device factory as per the DGDA rules of the Bangladesh government, which will be a milestone in Bangladesh's medical device market.

The company's managing director (MD) said. Chowdhury Hasan Mahmud said, 'There is a market of medical devices worth Tk 20,000 crore in Bangladesh. But the investing industrialists are not interested in investing in this medical device sector.

"I am determined to work for the development of the medical sector by establishing ANC Medical Devices BD for the expansion of the medical device sector in Bangladesh."