by
Diana Bradley, Staff Writer | November 23, 2012
From the November 2012 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
“Recipients can access an inventory of supplies on our website and choose the exact supplies that they need and that they are qualified to use,” she says. “This ensures that all supplies are being used and eliminates the possibility of waste.”
MedShare also ensures used medical equipment is safe to utilize and that people know how to use it. Before shipping, the organization inspects supplies to make sure they are in full functioning order and have not expired.
“We also have a biomedical team on staff that travels to recipients’ countries and hospitals and trains the staff there on how to use the equipment and administer treatment,” says Miners.
Potential recipients fill out an application and are then assessed by MedShare staff on the basis of need, location, hospital size, and number of doctors. Shipments are then sent to the candidates that are the best fit for the organization. And the charity raises money through grant writing, gifts in-kind, donations from individual donors and hospital partners, and corporate sponsorships.
“Our future plans include saving more lives, sending more supplies, and continuing to improve the environment,” says Miners.
Medical Teams International
In the past year, over 3,000 children in northern Uganda have been infected with Nodding Syndrome -- a fatal, mentally and physically disabling disease that only attacks children – according to Ugandan officials. There is no known cause or cure.
In March, nonprofit organization Medical Teams International (MTI), formerly Northwest Medical Teams, launched an emergency response campaign, funding efforts to address the disease.
“Our mobile medical clinics are the only source of care for thousands of families in this region,” Angela Pratt, MTI’s communications coordinator, explains. “We were able to raise funds to provide necessary medicines and medical supplies to address the disease and to continue monitoring its progress in order to respond accordingly.”
MTI, founded in 1979 by Oregon businessman Ron Post, is a Christian global health organization that delivers medical and dental care, humanitarian aid, and holistic development programs to all people in need, regardless of religion, nationality, sex, or race. Post was initially moved to action by a news report detailing the plight of starving refugees on the Thai-Cambodian border. He organized 27 medical volunteers within two weeks to bring desperately needed supplies and medical care to the refugees. From this small start, the organization has grown considerably.
