MedTech Zone to witness a huge transformation

Visakhapatnam : Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), a medical technology park, with common manufacturing ecosystem and scientific facilities was built with an aim to make healthcare accessible to all sections.

However, in the past five years, the medical park set up by Nara Chandrababu Naidu has been in a state of utter neglect.

The development of the zone that focused on not just reducing medical expenses by producing indigenous medical equipment but also bringing down the dependence on imports was shelved for the sole reason that the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government did not want to give credibility to the TDP government. As a result, healthcare has become burdensome for the poor and the middleclass.

The previous TDP government had set up the MedTech Zone in Visakhapatnam with an aim to produce healthcare devices required for the vital medical sector. As AP MedTech Zone is poised to be the game changer, the then Naidu government envisaged that the cost of the medical equipment if reduced would aid in providing quality treatment to the poor at a lower cost.

Although this zone was supposed to be developed further during the YSRCP’s regime, there was not much focus paid to the zone.

Built in about 270 acres of land with an investment of Rs.30,000 crore, the park with 10 manufacturing units was initiated with an aim of creating 25,000 jobs. However, at the moment, the state of the zone is unknown as the entire zone has been converted into a restricted one for the past five years. Launched nine years ago, the then TDP government earmarked land for the project in Visakhapatnam. Back then, the state allocated about Rs.404.25 crore for MedTech Zone.

The then TDP government allocated Rs.311.79 crore for the first phase of the project under the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

As part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the companies receive complete support from the Central and state governments. However, despite the coordination of the Central and state governments, the park failed as companies were not forthcoming to invest in MedTech Zone. In times of Covid-19 pandemic, the park manufactured products such as ventilators, PPE kits, N-95 masks and other medical devices to fight against the pandemic. During the YSRCP’s rule, even a section of companies were prevented from entering the campus. With formation of the BJP-TDP-JSP government, all eyes are now on the zone as Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to visit the premises as part of his visit to undivided Visakhapatnam scheduled on Thursday.

In the days to come, medical experts pin hope on transformation of MedTech Zone to newer heights.