As an important material basis for the medical and health care cause, medical equipment directly relates to people’s lives and health. The Development Plan for the Medical Equipment Sector during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) recently issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Health Commission, and other eight authorities is the first state-level industrial development plan in the medical equipment field.
“China has become an important medical equipment production and manufacturing base in the world.” According to Wang Weiming, Director of the Equipment Industry Department I of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China’s medical equipment sector achieved fast development during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, with the market size growing from RMB 480 billion in 2015 to RMB 840 billion in 2020, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 11.8%; the number of Chinese medical equipment enterprises above designated size reached more than 2,300 in 2020, which achieved main business income of more than RMB 410 billion; a group of highly competitive leading enterprises and distinctive industrial clusters have emerged in the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Bohai Rim. A medical equipment product system with more than 1,100 varieties in 22 categories has been formed in China, to cover all health links and basically meet the diagnosis & treatment, elderly care, chronic disease prevention and treatment and emergency rescue needs of medical institutions in China.
The Plan proposes the goal that by 2025, the medical equipment sector should significantly upgrade its industrial base and modernize its industrial chain, basically achieve effective supply of mainstream medical equipment, significantly enhance high-end medical equipment product performance and quality levels, and preliminarily form the capacity to fully support public health and health care needs. The Plan also sets five sub-goals around five aspects. Firstly, optimization and upgrading of the industrial chain: Shortcomings in basic parts and components, basic software, basic materials, basic processes, basic industrial technologies, etc. of medical equipment should be urgently addressed, and highly innovative, high value-added, safe and reliable industrial chain and supply chain should be established. Secondly, continuous improvement of technological level: A group of high-end products including ECMO machine and laparoscopic surgical robot should be applied. Thirdly, significant enhancement of enterprise vitality: Interconnected development of micro, small, medium-sized and large enterprises should be achieved. Fourthly, gradual improvement of industrial ecology: Comprehensive, innovative development of new business forms such as telemedicine, mobile health care, smart health care should be achieved. Fifthly, significant improvement in brand influence: Six to eight enterprises ranking among the top 50 in the global medical device industry should be strived for.
According to the Plan, diagnostic and testing equipment, treatment equipment, monitoring and life support equipment, TCM diagnostic and treatment equipment, women and children health equipment, health care and rehabilitation equipment, and active implantation and intervention devices will be the seven key areas for development. The Plan also proposes to advance the development of new models such as “5G plus medical health”, home and community elderly service, and medical care and health preservation integration.
Source: People’s Daily Organized by: Osmunda