The Saskatchewan Health Authority has purchased approximately 100 additional ventilators that have been made within the province through a partnership between the University of Saskatchewan and a Saskatoon-based engineering company.
One Health Medical Technologies, a subsidiary of RMD Engineering Inc., designed the new ventilators in-house, before collaborating with the USask Colleges of Medicine and Engineering to create a prototype certified for use.
“This initiative exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and entrepreneurship we’re so proud of in our province,” said Health Minister Paul Merriman, in a press release. “Our government fully supports this work, and we are pleased that residents in Saskatchewan and across the country will have access to this equipment, if they need it.”
The devices have received certification from Health Canada for use and have been entirely produced in Saskatchewan. They are classed as emergency use units.
The SHA has received approval to purchase and deliver the ventilators to patients across the province, to increase the health authority’s response capacity to COVID-19.
“Knowing we had the skillset, capability and capacity in-house, we chose to do something rather than nothing and created an emergency use ventilator using reliable technology and readily available materials,” said RMD Engineering president Jim Boire, in a press release. “When we communicated our intent, we received a high level of trust from the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the leadership of the University of Saskatchewan Colleges of Engineering and Medicine, which led to a world-class collaboration.”
There are currently approximately 650 ventilators available in the health system, which the SHA feels is enough to meet the current need for patients. The new ventilators from RMD will increase the province’s total units to 750. The first 20 units are expected to be ready for delivery by Dec. 7.
