 Early Times Report
CHANDIGARH, Feb 21: The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, formally inaugurated its newly established Department of Medical Devices at G-Block on 21st February 2026. The department was inaugurated by Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India. Following the inauguration, the chief guest along with Prof. Dulal Panda, Director, NIPER Mohali, Prof. KB Tikoo, Dean and other faculty members, interacted with students and faculty and visited the newly developed departmental infrastructure. Prof. Tarun Sharma, Dr. Ajay Kumar and Dr. Dipankar Das from the Dept. of Medical Devices, NIPER Mohali accompanied the dignitaries. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul highlighted the critical role of medical device research in enabling early diagnosis, improving healthcare outcomes, and strengthening the healthcare ecosystem. He underscored the importance of robust preclinical studies and described the establishment of the department as a result of successful collaborative efforts and collective hard work by the institute.
Dr. Paul referred to medical devices as a "sunshine sector" and emphasized that the current focus should be on drug delivery devices such as insulin pumps, transdermal drug delivery patches, point-of-care diagnostics, regenerative medicine, assistive technologies like cochlear implants, and biomedical device-enabled software systems. He stressed that in the area of in vitro diagnostics (IVDs), priority should be given to primary healthcare devices that are accessible, ambulatory, and close to the community, which can significantly benefit the nation. Highlighting India's evolving healthcare challenges, Dr. Paul noted that apart from communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, neurological disorders, kidney disease, and liver disease pose major concerns. He emphasized that in conditions like chronic kidney failure and liver failure, early diagnosis using easy, affordable biomarker panels can play a decisive role in improving treatment outcomes. He further pointed out that majority of the women in India suffer from anaemia, with a large proportion experiencing moderate anaemia that affects daily functioning. In this context, he stressed the urgent need for reliable diagnostic devices capable of accurately detecting anaemia. He also highlighted the challenges associated with diagnosing cervical cancer, blood cancers, and other critical diseases, where early diagnosis can be a game changer and significantly improve survival rates. Dr. Paul emphasized the necessity of accurate and effective validation of medical devices, particularly with respect to sensitivity and specificity, and cautioned against compromising these parameters, especially in critical disease areas such as cancer. He also advised the cautious and responsible use of AI/ML in medical devices, advocating for multidisciplinary collaboration among diverse experts to ensure comprehensive and accurate disease diagnosis.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dulal Panda stated that the establishment of the Department of Medical Devices at NIPER Mohali provides an enhanced platform for students to contribute to research excellence and innovation through strong interdisciplinary collaboration. He added that the department has commenced with basic facilities, with plans for phased expansion based on feedback and engagement from faculty and students. Prof. Panda also appreciated the dedicated efforts of the administration and the entire team in successfully bringing the department into existence.
The program was concluded with Thanks from Director and Dean, NIPER, Mohali to Dr. Vinod Paul for inaugurating the department of Medical Devices and inspiring young students and faculty with his stimulating discussions. |
