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Hyderabad: Inspired by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Minneapolis-based NRI Madhu Reddy has decided to bring in low-cost medical system, digital radiography (X-ray) to India for improving healthcare, and in this regard signed a MoU for setting up a joint venture with the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL) on Wednesday. The MoU, signed by Mr. Reddy, who is president of U.S. Electronics Inc., and G.N.V. Satyanarayana, Director (Technical), ECIL, envisages collaboration in three phases leading to a production facility by January 2008 in Hyderabad, which would also cater to international market. Mr. Reddy said the DR equipment is not available in any of the hospitals in the country, as it costs more than Rs.1 crore and is being manufactured by a few companies in the world. He planned to sell the equipment at Rs.25 lakhs in the country. The system consists of DR detector and high-resolution imaging display, which would pick up most subtle details of the human body. This was not possible with a normal photo film used in conventional X-rays. He said that in the first phase five units would be tested and commissioned in the country, including one each at Patna and Bodhgaya Medical Colleges by March 31. Second phase
In next phase 100 units would be assembled and tested at ECIL by end of December 2007. USEI would bring 50 per cent of the investment for setting up the production facility in the third phase. Mr. Reddy, who is also president of Medical Standard International, another Minneapolis-based company, said the total investment required would be $5 million