From: Ian blenkharn@ianblenkharn.com
Category: Miscellaneous
Date: 16 Feb 2008
Time: 13:04:46 +0100
Remote Name: 86.134.111.185
"A Cape Town orthopaedic surgeon is looking to co-opt others in the health care industry to collect and recycle medical consumables from hospitals that would otherwise be destroyed. The equipment could then be recycled for distribution in countries north of South Africa where health care is often non-existent and monthly pensions, specifically for one of his patients in Zimbabwe, buy only a box of matches.
"There is a large volume... of utilisable equipment available which is otherwise garbaged. Not only is the monetary value of these products substantial, but without them many ill and injured people can never recover," said Jon Driver-Jowitt, referring to items such as oxygen masks, splints, catheters, metal plates and screws.
http://www.iol.co.za:80/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=125&art_id=vn20080201044354899C217505
The story highlights the critically large gap between rich and poor. Without doubt, much old or outdated and used surgical hardware is discarded that can safely be reprocessed by others in circumstances where lives might be saved by having even this second-hand equipment in circumstances where the alternative is having nothing at all. I have previously been pleased to pass old surgical instruments to a charitable organisation for shipment to critically under-resourced regions of the world.
It would be ideal if those providing healthcare in the poorer regions of the world had access to all of the equipment that they require. In the meantime, these various charitable initiatives to redistribute used or outdated, but safe and effective equipment can save lives.
First posted 02-Feb-2008