UV-Concepts, an infection control and prevention company, has signed an exclusive agreement with Hytech Ireland to distribute across Ireland and the UK. The distribution covers UV-Concepts's UV-C Enclosure (UVE), the first and only digitally-connected automated no-touch UV-C enclosure purpose-built for large portable medical equipment designed to improve manual cleaning and disinfecting.
Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light (UV-C) to kill or inactivate microorganisms. Healthcare-associated infections (HAI's) are a growing concern worldwide, and evidence shows that high-touch surfaces on portable medical equipment such as wheelchairs, stretchers, and infusion pumps are a potential vector for transmission of bacteria and viruses.
"The concern for cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces in the healthcare environment has grown exponentially due to COVID-19," said Jeremy Starkweather, President & Co-Founder, UV-Concepts. "We're very pleased to partner with Hytech Ireland and make the UVE available for healthcare institutions globally to help protect patients, healthcare workers, and visitors from harmful bacteria and viruses."
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC estimated about 700,000 patients are diagnosed with an HAI each year in the US, and of those, 70,000 die during their acute care hospitalisation. While progress has been made to reduce and, in some cases, eliminate HAIs, the market is constantly seeking new and improved disinfection solutions.
"We were impressed with the broad clinical applications of the easy-to-use UVE," said Rodney Cadden, microbiologist and Founder and CEO of Hytech Ireland. "Our partnership with UV-Concepts allows us to offer this product to the infection control healthcare community, as well as other early adopter sectors such as the hospitality and leisure industries that can benefit from the product's differentiated use and modality."
