Health Asia 2024: Cutting-edge medical innovations unveiled

Groundbreaking healthcare innovations like Sante medical bed, SV300 ventilator, and advanced glucose monitoring systems steal spotlight at Health Asia 2024 in Karachi
An image taken on on October 17, 2024 displays exhibition booths at 21st Health Asia exhibition at Expo Centre Karachi, Pakistan. — Photo by author
An image taken on on October 17, 2024 displays exhibition booths at 21st Health Asia exhibition at Expo Centre Karachi, Pakistan. — Photo by author

In the midst of the chaotic hustle and bustle surrounding booths glowing with fluorescent lights, the centre of attraction was a fully automated medical bed, controlled remotely and moving in peculiar angles, stirring anxiousness in every passerby.

The odd movement of Sante — an advanced, fully automated medical bed by the Turkey-based hospital furniture manufacturer Nitrocare — is a pioneering outcome of sophisticated engineering. The remarkable display of Sante took place at the 21st Health Asia exhibition, the largest healthcare industry event in Pakistan, held at the Expo Centre in Karachi.

Nitrocare export director Turan Ilker explained: "Sante is equipped with high-end electric motors, actuators, and control systems to enhance patient comfort, improve mobility, reduce injury risks, and grant freedom of mobility to patients and doctors alike, allowing them to make decisions that contribute to better recovery."

An undated image of Sante HB 8000. — Nitrocare
An undated image of Sante HB 8000. — Nitrocare

Another top-notch piece of medical equipment showcased at the health tech exhibition was the SV300 — a state-of-the-art ventilator that is simple to configure and easy to operate.

"Ventilator SV300 treats neonate, pediatric, and adult patients with all acuity levels at ICUs and Intermediate Care. Its functionality is deliberately kept simple so that clinicians don't have to maneuver through its standard features," said Mindray sales and services manager Syed Noman Rizvi.

The SV300 caters to all levels of patient acuity and care settings, from the patient’s bedside to transportation to another point of care, he added.

An undated image of Mindrays SV300 ventilator. — Mindray
An undated image of Mindray's SV300 ventilator. — Mindray

As the modern age contributes to declining human health, with an alarming rise in diabetes, glucometers have become essential household appliances, requiring patients to prick the skin to obtain a drop of blood every time a blood sugar test is needed.

However, traditional glucometers and methods of testing blood sugar seem to be fading, with a modern replacement showcased at the health tech exhibition in Karachi. The Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System serves the same purpose as a regular glucometer but every three minutes.

With Ican's CGM, users can view trends and reports and share the data with doctors, friends, and family anywhere in the world at their fingertips.

Shoaib Rafi, the person managing the distribution and availability of Ican's CGM in Pakistan, told Gadinsider: "The device is very easy to install on the skin. Once applied, it conducts frequent sugar tests non-stop for a full 15 days, with readings sent to the Ican CGM mobile app."

Eager tech enthusiasts were also treated to Evocheck's smart weighing scale. Available for Rs300 in Pakistan, nearly the same price as a regular scale, Evocheck's smart scale outperforms traditional ones by offering Bluetooth connectivity and syncing data to your phone.

The provision of advanced metrics for a comprehensive health overview sets it apart, with additional capabilities including calculating body mass ratio, checking BMI, and determining whether you're underweight or overweight.

The image shows Evochecks smart weighing scale. — Photo by author
The image shows Evocheck's smart weighing scale. — Photo by author

Molecular Products Company (MPC) introduced micropipettes, a more advanced version of traditional pipettes.

Holding a PhD in molecular biology, MPC application specialist Dr Shahzad explained: "These pipettes are used in medical labs to accurately measure and transfer small liquid volumes for tasks like preparing samples and analyzing blood, DNA, or other biological fluids, all in a fraction of the time compared to regular pipettes."

In a brief conversation with Gadinsider, Dr Shahzad noted that since this caliber of meticulous testing and DNA analysis is rarely conducted in Pakistan and often costs six-figure sums, MPC also offers to collect patient samples and send them overseas, cutting costs by five to ten times.

An undated image of a micropipette.— MPC
 An undated image of a micropipette.— MPC 

Scientists in genetic research labs often isolate pure DNA from blood samples to study diseases, requiring a DNA purification kit to efficiently extract high-quality DNA for accurate analysis.

Such was the explanation of Gene Janch Center's marketing and sales manager, Abdullah M. Yousuf, when Gadinsider quizzed him on how their DNA purification kit differs from others.

Yousuf mentioned that while the DNA purification kit typically costs around Rs100,000 or more due to high manufacturing and import costs, Gene Janch is recreating the same kits for just Rs20,000.

An undated image shows DNA purification kit. — Gene Janch
An undated image shows DNA purification kit. — Gene Janch 

To enhance efficiency and precision in manual wound treatment methods, a relatively obscure yet formidable player in medical technology manufacturing attracted attention with its Sonoca 185.

The Sonoca 185 ultrasonic aspirator is designed for wound debridement and cleansing. Its standout capability is to differentiate between necrotic and healthy tissues, removing the former without damaging the latter, as explained by Bios Senior Assistant Manager Mohammad Salik.

At the luminous Bios booth, another high-tech device, the Sonoca 300, was also showcased. This device assists in treating brain tumors and neurosurgeries and is used in radiology and other critical care settings, including treating foot wounds for diabetes patients.

An undated image of Sonoca 300. — Bios
An undated image of Sonoca 300. — Bios

While the exhibition grounds were brimming with never-before-seen innovations poised to transform healthcare practices, panel discussions were also held with veterans in the medical industry.

One such conference, titled "Safe Blood Transfusion," was hosted by Dr Sarfaraz Husain Jafri, chairman of the medical advisory board of Hemophilia Welfare Society Karachi (HWSK). Organised by Hospital Supplier Corporation, the panel of experts discussed technological advancements, risk management, and screening protocols in ensuring safe blood transfusion procedures.