Instruments in Hand: Medical Equipment Donations
In collaboration with MedShare International
Hospitals in developed countries often discard medical equipment after a few years as new technology becomes available. They also discard new, unopened surgical supplies if they have been in the operating theater. Instead of throwing away these valuable medical equipment and supplies, the VinaCapital Foundation, in partnership with MedShare International, gathers, refurbishes, ships, and distributes them to hospitals throughout Vietnam. We also procure new equipment through donations from medical equipment companies.
At VCF we believe in an eco-friendly ethic for equipment donations, so we do not bring equipment or supplies into Vietnam unless they have been requested by a hospital, and we know the hospital staff are trained and prepared to use them. We also make sure that the equipment is refurbished to “like new” conditions and includes user manuals and a warranty. Recipient hospitals can also easily order replacement parts for the equipment.
VCF is currently working on building capacity through equipment donations at seven hospitals in Vietnam. In 2009 we shipped four containers of equipment and supplies for programs such as pediatric intensive care, pediatric cardiac surgery, neonatal care, heart disease diagnosis, pediatric emergency care and diagnosis, and pediatric advanced life support. In 2010 we will ship another four containers of equipment and supplies and distribute them to six hospitals in Hanoi, Nha Trang, Da Nang, and Ho Cho Minh City. To date, we have supplied hospitals in Vietnam with over $300,000 worth of equipment, improving the standard of care for over 50,000 patients.
A donation of $20,000 will purchase a full container of refurbished medical equipment and supplies for several hospitals in Vietnam. A donation of $14,000 will provide a cardiac color Doppler ultrasound unit for diagnosis and treatment of heart disease with pediatric probes. A donation of $5,000 will pay for the consolidation and shipment of a container of refurbished medical equipment and supplies for a pediatric hospital in Vietnam.