MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

With Chennai emerging as one of the most prefered medical destinations in the country,Chennaibest.com spoke to S. Krishnan, Proprietor, Medical Equipments Co., to get an insight into the manufacture and supply of medical equipment in the city and the state.

There are over 350 suppliers in Chennai. Almost all specialise in a certain type of equipment. It will be very difficult to survive in the market without product specialisation.

The most frequently supplied products in Chennai are surgical equipment - the operation tables, knives, lights etc. But in Chennai we do not have manufacturers of disposable syringes. We procure it from Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

We do have an association for medical equipment suppliers - Scientific Equipment, Educational Aids Manufacturers and Dealers Association (SEEAMDA). We have an annual convention, which elects the members for a year.

No. It does not require investments at all. Nearly 50- 60 firms in the city are operating with absolutely no investment. After gaining the necessary experience, they start their own firm. The contacts and previous work experience help them immensely. Some of them just buy from manufacturers and supply them. That's bad for the industry.

We try and get a local substitute wherever possible. Sometimes the equipment is imported. We have strategic alliances with certain Mumbai-based firms. They take care of our import requirements.

Usually, the doctors and the nursing homes stack equipment for replacement in case of an emergency. So the question of liability does not arise at all. At least we have had no complaints so far.

We usually try and incorporate the doctors' advice in designing and installation of the equipment. Each piece of equipment is different. It has to be modified to suit the doctor's needs.

This has been our strength. We have a team of skilled personnel who ensure excellent after-sales servicing. In fact it is our servicing which has helped us in building and maintaining a reputation in the state for the past four decades. We do not expect our clients to get their equipment here. Instead, our team is sent to rectify the problem or replace the equipment. This has helped us in extending our service. Unfortunately, servicing of equipment is unsatisfactory in the city. Most of them forget the deal after selling the equipment. This does not yield any long-term benefits. Good servicing is lacking here. 90% of the firms in Chennai are interested only in the trade; they do not seem to bother about after-sales service to the customer.

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