Volunteers and Coordinators Needed!
MEDWorld’s daily operations depend on dedicated volunteers who believe in global health and assisting those in need. If you are that person, contact us and come join our wonderful team. Most volunteer positions require a one year commitment and 5-10hrs/month.
For more information contact
Grace Fulton at rwicker@email.unc.edu
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Every year, U.S. hospitals throw away millions
of dollars worth of unused medical supplies while in many impoverished
countries thousands of people die due to lack of such supplies.
"For people in developing countries, basic medical supplies are
luxuries that are simply not available or not affordable.
Doctors and nurses must constantly make do - washing and reusing
"disposable" gloves and syringes, or substituting inappropriate
materials such as fishing line or sewing thread for suture- or
patients must go without needed care. In many countries
patients must bring their own supplies, even acquire their own
medicines, before treatment can be given."* On the other
extreme, American hospitals such as ours, discard tons of unused
medical supplies in the interest of optimal surgical management
and protection from litigation.
MEDWorld is a volunteer organization that
was designed to collect and recycle unused medical supplies that
would otherwise be  discarded. The materials we collect are
sent to developing countries where they can be used in clinics and hospitals
serving the poor. MEDWorld was created by UNC physicians,
medical students and hospital staff who were looking for an opportunity
to do community service on a global scale while improving staff
morale and reducing hospital waste. MEDWorld is an environmentally
responsible alternative for our hospitals to re-use disposable
recyclable material to save lives across the world.
*Global Links 1997 Annual Report
MEDWorld
was created as a dual model of REMEDY,
a supply recovery program.
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