IMPORTANT: Equipment Needs Updated in This Story

While the world has generously responded to calls for monetary donations for Haiti relief in the aftermath of last week's earthquake, essential medical resources are in short supply.

One charity capable of getting resources on the ground in Haiti fast is Afya Foundation.
"Physicians and clinicians in hospitals in Haiti are in need of everything imaginable," said Danielle N. Butin, executive director of Afya. The foundation, headquartered in Yonkers, NY, works with Partners In Health and has already delivered significant amounts of medical supplies to Haiti.

Afya said that equipment donated will be shipped to Haiti within a week of receipt and will be distributed by Partners In Health, a Haiti relief organization whose staff manages the challenging ground effort.

"We also need funding support to gather, warehouse and ship these supplies abroad--financial support allows us to ship as much as possible out of New York to Haiti," Butin told DOTmed News.

Below is a partial and general list of what is needed but PLEASE CONTACT THE AFYA FOUNDATION TO LEARN SPECIFICALLY WHAT IS NEEDED. Contact Sarah Schuyler via email: sarah.schuyler@afyafoundation.org.

A general and partial list of some needed medical items as of this writing* include:
-X-ray machines
-Surgical kits
-Saline
-Sterile gloves and gowns
-Tourniquets
-Retractors
-Saws
-Drills and batteries
-Gowns, caps
-Handles, scalpels
-Heart monitors
-Irrigation basins
-Laryngoscopes
-Metal basins to sterilize instruments
-O2 monitors and pressure gauges
-Endotrachea tubes
-X-Ray film, developer, fixative
-Analgesics
-Anesthetics
-Antibiotics
-Pulse oximeters
-Oxygen tanks, compressors
-IV tubing supplies
-Orthopaedic instruments
(*The list goes on and on, as noted, contact the e-mail address above to learn which specific items are needed. They need many non-medical items, too.)

Hospitals of Hope

Another organization that is already doing good in Haiti is Hospitals of Hope.

The charity confirms that basic medical supplies and equipment are needed.

"We don't need technologically advanced stuff. Because we are working in Haiti and they are years behind in medical care, we just need the basic [technology]," said Mike Wawrzewski, Founder and CEO, Hospitals of Hope. "We need to be able to put casting on. We need to do minor procedures... exam rooms where you can do a delivery."

For the past 12 years, the charity has been providing medical supplies and equipment to communities in need around the globe. Hospitals of Hope provides "clinics in a box," which are self-contained medical facilities that can be placed in service anywhere. One of their units is now located the western part of Haiti and the organization plans to send additional facilities soon.

"It's a clinic in a can, basically a 40-foot container that we outfit to be a medical, dental and laboratory office. These are fully equipped and self-contained with water and electricity. One of the clinics may be turned into an operating and recovery suite for more advanced procedures," he said, describing a modular design that includes exam rooms.

IMPORTANT: Equipment Needs Updated

One specific need he mentioned was for Dynarad portable X-ray machines. He feels that portable, powered units are more functional than battery-operated equipment in this harsh environment. "When batteries die you can't use the units and the batteries are too costly," he said.

He also noted the need for X-ray viewing boxes, basic scopes, and lab microscopes.

Wawrzewski said they also need i-STATs. These are portable labs in a suitcase, made by Abbott. "It will do everything and go where we go when we do third world medicine," he told DOTmed News.

To assist, contact Mike or Hospitals of Hope, http://hospitalsofhope.org.

Watch DOTmed News for further reports and let us know what donations you are making to Haiti relief.

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