In an exclusive interview with Rahul Koul, Editor, Indian Pharma Post, Pranav Sharma, Strategic Business Unit Head - Advance Surgery, Healthium MedTech shares insights on his company’s CSR initiatives and key priorities; current medical industry scenario in India; and future outlook

Why are CSR partnerships in healthcare important, and why did Healthium MedTech choose GIMS Greater Noida for this initiative?

At Healthium MedTech, healthcare is one of the core pillars of our CSR strategy because improving patient outcomes is central to our purpose as an organisation. When this opportunity came through Plan India, it aligned strongly with our focus on community healthcare and access to quality treatment.

GIMS Greater Noida is one of the key super-speciality hospitals in the region and many paediatric patients earlier had to travel to Delhi for specialised orthopaedic care. Access was difficult for families, especially from nearby rural communities. Supporting GIMS made complete sense because it directly improves access to care closer to home and can significantly impact patient outcomes and community healthcare delivery.

Why was paediatric orthopaedic care selected as the focus area for this CSR initiative?

Paediatric care creates a very meaningful and visible impact. When you support treatment for children, you are often changing the trajectory of an individual’s entire life. That makes the initiative especially compelling.

This project not only strengthens healthcare infrastructure but also enables children and families to access specialised treatment within their own region rather than travelling long distances. That community-level impact was one of the strongest reasons behind this partnership.

Apart from this initiative, what other CSR activities has Healthium MedTech undertaken recently?

We recently partnered with the Government of Karnataka to provide e-bikes to Anganwadi workers. Around 150 e-bikes were distributed to improve their mobility and ability to cover multiple community touchpoints in a day.

We have also supported innovation projects and healthcare infrastructure development in public hospitals across different regions. Our CSR initiatives are always designed around improving healthcare access, supporting frontline workers and strengthening patient care delivery systems.

How much does Healthium MedTech allocate annually for CSR initiatives in India?

CSR allocation is guided by government directives, but we do not restrict ourselves only to the minimum mandatory contribution. If there is a compelling healthcare initiative that can create meaningful impact, we are open to doing more.

As an Indian company, our broader objective is to contribute towards creating better healthcare outcomes and improving lives across the country.

Is the partnership with GIMS a one-time initiative, or are there plans for future collaboration?

This partnership is need-based and can certainly evolve further. In the first phase, we supported the infrastructure and equipment requirements identified by the hospital. If there is a need for additional support in the future, we are open to evaluating further collaboration.

How is Healthium MedTech performing in India, and what are the company’s key focus areas?

Healthium currently operates 7 manufacturing facilities and focuses on producing high-quality medical devices. We are the first Indian company to receive EU MDR certification for Class III medical devices and we also hold certifications such as US FDA, CE, ISO, TGA, cGMP and MDSAP 

Our products are now present in over 90+ countries globally and 100+ designs and patents [including pending applications] across the US, Europe and India. We are focused on advanced surgery, wound closure, arthroscopy and infection prevention segments. Going forward, we are also expanding into cardiovascular surgery products and newer surgical technologies.

The larger goal is to manufacture globally competitive products in India and make them accessible worldwide.

How do you view the growth potential of India’s medical technology industry?

India’s medical devices sector is at a very exciting stage. The industry is expected to grow significantly over the next few years as healthcare accessibility improves and insurance penetration increases.

In many ways, the medical devices sector today is where the Indian pharmaceutical industry was nearly two decades ago. Pharma evolved into a global success story and MedTech now has the opportunity to follow a similar path, supported by policy reforms, innovation and manufacturing growth.

There is often a perception that Indian MedTech companies lag behind global firms in innovation. How do you respond to that?

That perception is changing rapidly. Indian companies are now moving beyond low-tech products and entering high-technology medical devices as well. For example, our arthroscopy and sports medicine division was built entirely through in-house innovation. Over the past several years, we worked closely with doctors to develop products specifically suited to Indian patients and clinical requirements. Today, those products are being exported to markets such as Europe and Australia.

Innovation takes time, but Indian MedTech companies are steadily building strong capabilities and developing products tailored for local healthcare needs.

What kind of support does the industry expect from the government?

Government support through initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and MedTech parks is extremely important. We would also like to see stronger ecosystem development, where allied industries and supply chains can grow together.

Another key area is quality regulation. India has made significant progress in strengthening medical device regulations and quality standards and continued focus on high-quality manufacturing will help position India as a trusted global MedTech hub.

How do you see Healthium MedTech evolving over the next five years?

Our vision is very clear that we want to become one of the leading MedTech companies from India with a strong global footprint. We will continue focusing on advanced surgery, wound closure, arthroscopy, infection control and related specialties while expanding our portfolio through innovation and new product development.

The philosophy remains “Make in India, Make for the World.” With our manufacturing base in India and globally certified facilities, we aim to continue building innovative products in India and expanding across international markets.