Turkey’s leading defense manufacturer, ASELSAN, is working on projects and solutions that would increase local design and production capabilities in health technologies that will reduce the country’s outside dependency.
The company is currently in the designing phase of developing Mobile Digital X-Ray Device and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Systems, an Anadolu Agency (AA) report said Monday. In addition to these projects, it has initiated studies to develop a High-Frequency X-Ray Generator, a critical subcomponent of radiography devices.
The defense contractor was also accepted last year to the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey's (TÜBİTAK) Industrial Innovation Network Mechanism (SAYEM) program, which was established to develop a High Value-Added Product Group.
The company is now continuing the preparations for an Industry Cooperation Project tender opened by the Health Ministry for the production of five medical devices, namely magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, ultrasonography, bedside monitor and digital radiography systems.
The tender is scheduled for July 30 and the commitments to be made regarding domestic production, technology transfer to the country, investment and export will be taken into consideration by the ministry.
Possible cooperation with local, global firms
ASELSAN has also started to evaluate the possibilities of cooperation with local medical device manufacturers. It launched last year a joint project with the Istanbul-based, Metsis, to develop defibrillators (electroshock devices). The device is set to hit the market within this year. Under the scope of the cooperation with Metsis, preparatory work for manufacturing "manual defibrillator/monitor development" was also initiated.
The company plans to develop medical devices in three different areas as "imaging, diagnosis and life support" in the field of health technologies. The company also aims for cooperation with domestic and international companies and research centers to develop mammography, coagulation measuring devices, glucose monitoring system, heart-lung pump and mechanical ventilator devices.