Texas Medical Technology, a manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies, is partnering with Indigenous Medical Industries Canada (IMIC) to build a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) factory on an Indian reservation in Canada.
IMIC was founded to bring healthcare to Canadians. During the pandemic, the local governments were struggling to protect the communities, so IMIC stepped in to help. Texas Medical Technology specialise in the sale and distribution of medical equipment at low prices.
Omri Shafran, CEO of Texas Medical Technology said: “I think the pandemic provided a huge mirror and showed each country a reflection of their preparedness. With no ability to protect themselves, healthcare providers are dependent on China for PPE. It creates a very fast race between all countries to become independent, from the perspective of PPE.
“These communities deal with many issues including Covid like lack of drinking water, food security, access to timely health care, etc. We hope to improve at least one of them i.e. spread of Covid and the overall need for PPE in their communities.”
IMIC has stated that it is aiming to provide essential medical clothing, PPE and devices to not just the First Nation, but all Canadians. The use of disposable surgical gowns, shoe covers, PPE kits, digital thermometers and PPE safety machines will help keep the Covid cases at an all-time low.
With sustainability being such a huge topic today, choosing the right fabrics is no easy feat. “We are going to use a very innovative product, for example, a new coat for the SMS with copper. This protects the fabric for a longer time and kills the virus once it hits the surface.” Shafran said. “We are very aware and care about our planet, so therefore we use SMS fabric. We are going to incorporate more environmentally friendly products in the future.”
Copper has been shown to have antibacterial properties, meaning it’s a popular choice for PPE. The use of SMS (spunbond-meltdown-spunbond) fabric is favoured for face masks as it has great water repelling capabilities.
They believe that Canada is one of the most innovative markets in pushing their indigenous communities and in helping them have equal opportunities to enter the job market. In addition to helping protect the nation, 10% of the profits of the joint venture will go towards helping Canada’s Indigenous populations further improve their overall access to healthcare.
Texas Medical Technology has also shared with MPN that they are hoping to bring more medical products to the community in the future: “We are going to bring very innovative products to the Canadian market. We have a lot of Israeli start-ups, for example, which are looking to sell their products in Canada—as well as in the US. We are going to present an innovative diabetic skin care product as well as innovative female hygienic solutions.”
In addition to helping protect the nation, the factory will create many new job opportunities.