Thiruvananthapuram-based Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology will join hands with the Kerala government to set up Rs 260 crore medical devices park. The Institute is under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

The MedSpark medical devices park will come up in the Life Sciences Park of the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) at Thonnakkal in Thiruvanthapuram.

Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan will lay the foundation stone for MedSpark on 24 September 2020.

While KSIDC will spend Rs 125 crore for creating infrastructure, the remaining funds for equipment and manpower cost in early stages will be from the existing funding schemes of the Central and state governments.

Subsequently, it is expected to be a self-sustaining one with operational expenses coming from revenue streams.

The major objectives of MedSpark is to create an enabling support system for research and development, testing and evaluation of medical devices, manufacturing support, technology innovation and knowledge dissemination to the Indian medical devices industry.

The full range of services will be available not only to the firms located in MedSpark, but also to those from other parts of the country.

Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology had conceived establishing a medical devices park under the Technical Research Centre for Biomedical devices programme of  DST.