Giriraj Singh opens medical textiles lab at AMTZ in Vizag

Union Minister for Textiles Giriraj Singh on Saturday inaugurated a Medical Textiles Testing Laboratory at the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) here, giving a significant boost to the country’s medical textiles sector.

The newly set-up laboratory is equipped to test and validate a broad range of medical textile products, including PPE kits, surgical gowns, masks, drapes, and wound-care materials. The facility evaluates barrier efficiency, microbial resistance, and safety performance, ensuring that products meet the strict standards demanded by the healthcare industry.

During his visit to the AMTZ campus, the Minister toured the IMEDS facility, which has carved a niche for itself in manufacturing sterile wound-closure consumables and surgical skin staplers. He subsequently inspected the Nanoshell facility, where he reviewed ongoing work in the production of high-purity graphene — a material finding growing applications in electronics, energy storage, medical devices, and advanced composite materials.

The Minister was also briefed on the development of high-strength, biocompatible polymers intended for use in orthopaedic implants and a range of other healthcare applications.

Addressing those present, Singh recalled how India had long depended on imports to meet its medical equipment needs. “Institutions like AMTZ have built capabilities that were once beyond our imagination,” he said, commending the innovation ecosystem nurtured at the zone and its growing contribution to India’s healthcare manufacturing landscape.

AMTZ Founder and Managing Director Jitendra Sharma, who was present on the occasion, briefed the Minister on the zone’s ongoing initiatives to advance indigenous medical technology and boost domestic manufacturing.