AmCham seeks regulatory reforms for medical devices

The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) has called for dedicated regulations for medical devices and equipment to speed up approvals, reduce business costs and improve healthcare services.

At a roundtable in Dhaka on Monday, AmCham urged the government to simplify registration procedures, ensure predictable pricing decisions, streamline import and re-export approvals, and rationalise taxes and duties on medical devices and spare parts.

The chamber also proposed clear timelines for registration and simpler procedures for importing spare parts and sending equipment abroad for repairs.
Md Alamgir Hossain, director general of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA), said the agency was working to simplify registration procedures and ensure timely and transparent approvals.

Chief guest State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr M A Muhit said the government wanted to strengthen primary healthcare and expand specialised services to district and divisional levels.

He encouraged US companies to go beyond equipment sales by investing in local manufacturing, technology transfer, after-sales services and training for Bangladeshi healthcare professionals.

The state minister also highlighted plans to introduce a national digital health monitoring system to improve the utilisation of medical equipment.

Syed Mohammad Kamal, president of AmCham Bangladesh, said member companies had more than $5 billion in existing investments and were committed to facilitating an additional $5 billion over the next five years.

Dr Omar Ishrak, former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, highlighted opportunities for medical technology to expand access to quality healthcare and improve patient outcomes.

The roundtable brought together government officials, US Embassy representatives and medical technology companies to discuss regulatory reforms and stronger cooperation in the sector.