The Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) is proud to announce that it has joined the PVCMed Alliance – an international PVC industry chain platform that raises awareness and promotes informed decisions about the use of PVC in healthcare delivery

“More than 40 % of all plastic based disposable medical devices used on hospitals are made from PVC”, explains SAVA CEO Delanie Bezuidenhout. “Vinyl is used extensively in the medical industry – ranging from use in blood bags, to tubing and artificial skin. It is also used for items such as flooring, cupboards, plumbing pipes, electrical wiring and bed coverings. By adding plasticisers to vinyl, the product becomes soft and flexible which dramatically improves both safety and comfort and has been proven to reduce the risk of life-threatening and healthcare acquired infections”, she says.

The PVCMed Alliance is a global network of international manufacturers and players in the PVC industry and was launched in Brussels on 31 October 2012. SAVA was officially welcomed as member to the alliance by PVCMed Alliance spokesperson, Dr. Brigitte Dero, this month. “This is a significant milestone for vinyl in South Africa”, Delanie says. “Being part of the alliance will allow us to highlight the quality, safety and environmentally responsible uses of vinyl within the healthcare environment as well as to promote the research and development within the industry which will ultimately create even more uses for the material,” she says.

The PVCMed Alliance has set itself the following objectives:

• To produce and promote relevant scientifically-based information on vinyl use in healthcare.
• To provide a focal point for communication between regulators, the medical and healthcare community.
• To empower PVCMed members with targeted and appropriate material and messages.
• To promote partnerships with third parties to promote innovative, environmentally responsible practices with regards vinyl usage and management within healthcare industry.

Concludes Delanie: “Our membership will not only encourage dialogue within the industry, but will also strengthen our voice as we educate the community and medical fraternity about the important role of vinyls in the medical industry. For the first time we are now granted access to a valuable repository of information and ground breaking research which we can share with experts around the world”.