- 1st serially Russian-assembled CT scanner opens a new age in domestic high-technology healthcare development, improving access and aimed at reducing costs of health technology
- Jointly unveiled by GE Healthcare and Russian partner Meditsinskie technologii Ltd (MTL) at 6th Baikal Economic Forum, Irkutsk
MOSCOW, IRKUTSK -- September 7, 2010 -- GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) and its manufacturing partner Meditsinskie technologii Ltd (MTL) marked a first in Russia's domestic computed tomography (CT) industry by unveiling the country's first domestically assembled CT scanner at the 6th Baikal Economic Forum today. It marks the beginning of domestically produced high-technology healthcare devices to serve patients across Russia. Introduced today, the computer tomograph will be installed in the city hospital № 5 Bratsk, Irkutsk region.
It was announced during the press conference visited by President & CEO of GE Healthcare in Russia and CIS Vyacheslav Grischenko and President of MTL Anatoly Dabagov.
The plans to produce 16-slice tomograph in Russia were announced in November 26, 2009 in Moscow by GE Healthcare and Russian partner MTL when companies agreed on the strategic partnership for medical equipment manufacturing in Russia.
Today, less than a year after the announcement, the first joint product -- the 16-slice computer tomograph -- was presented to public. This breakthrough in Russian healthcare has been made possible by GE Healthcare's CT technology in partnership with MTL's manufacturing capabilities. Domestic CT production is consistent with the country's cornerstone objective of economic modernization and domestic high-tech healthcare development as stated in policy announcements by the Russian government.
The first Russian computer tomograph manufacturing and certification is an important step that opens opportunities for further deployment and manufacturing of various high-tech medical devices in Russia. According to internal estimates, the annual domestic Russian CT market could exceed 7 billion rubles (USD 300 million).
Also supporting the GE Healthcare and MTL joint venture is GE Healthcare's state-of-the-art training center which has been operational in Moscow since 2009. The training center helps to educate Russian medical professionals and improve their skills and experience with high-tech medical equipment. It is a further demonstration of GE Healthcare's commitment to localization in Russia.
Vyacheslav Grischenko, President & CEO, Russia & CIS, GE Healthcare says: "Domestic production allows us to price high-tech equipment more affordably for Russian customers. This should increase access to health technology and reduce costs for the healthcare system, fully in line with our global healthymagination strategy to drive improvements in access, quality and cost in healthcare."
"Our joint-venture with MTL will be able to produce 100 CT scanners per year and more for the Russian market and meet the Russian healthcare system's demand for CT," Grischenko says.
"The CT assembled at MTL's facility in Moscow is the company's flagship product," -- says Anatoly Dabagov, President, MTL. "MTL currently carries out 30% of the manufacturing, given that we currently use imported parts. Further localization of manufacturing will evolve as local parts that comply with GE quality standards become available".
Sergey Zverev