Paraguay Targets Medical Devices and Digital Health as New Industrial Growth Sectors
Paraguay is seeking to develop a new industrial niche in medical devices and digital health, supported by technical cooperation with South Korea and a strategy aimed at using the country as a production platform for the wider Mercosur market.
Paraguay’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC), working with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), presented on 12 August a new roadmap for developing the country’s medical-device and digital-health industries. The initiative forms part of South Korea’s Knowledge Sharing Program and is intended to identify practical steps for building local production capacity. citeturn782307view1
The plan reflects Paraguay’s broader ambition to diversify its industrial base beyond traditional agricultural and manufacturing activities. According to the MIC, the country could attract companies interested in establishing production facilities in Paraguay while serving both the domestic market and neighbouring Mercosur economies. citeturn782307view1
Existing technological infrastructure, including the TASK technology centre, is expected to support the production of moulds, components and other inputs required by medical-device manufacturers. Korean cooperation could also facilitate links with Asian companies looking for an entry point into the South American market. citeturn782307view1
The study recommends a ten-year development strategy, improved investment incentives and greater regulatory transparency. It also proposes beginning with one or two successful pilot projects rather than attempting to create an entire industrial ecosystem immediately. citeturn782307view1
The initiative fits within a wider industrial policy presented by the Paraguayan government this week. The MIC has identified access to long-term financing, skilled labour and territorial development as three major constraints on industrial expansion. It is also planning a digital platform providing investors with information on infrastructure, energy, logistics, employment, customs facilities and industrial clusters across the country. citeturn782307view0
For foreign investors, medical technology could become an interesting test case for Paraguay’s industrial strategy: combining relatively competitive operating conditions with Mercosur market access while gradually moving into higher-value manufacturing.
Sources: Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Paraguay (MIC); Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).