William Rosenblatt

Operating theatres in affluent countries are often "over-prepared", with a surplus of surgical supplies on hand. What is not used is, in many cases, thrown away.

Under the leadership of William Rosenblatt, REMEDY at Yale has become a model for hospitals across the United States. Institutions in Japan and Australia are following REMEDY's example.

Dr Rosenblatt and REMEDY are trying to ensure that, wherever practical, unused surgical supplies are sent to hospitals in the developing world.

Unused surgical supplies at many U.S. hospitals are now being sent to hospitals abroad where they are needed.

Medical staff like those at this cardiac bypass operation at Yale-New Haven Hospital in the U.S. are now alerted to the wide range of unused material that can be recycled.

William Rosenblatt hopes many more hospitals will channel their clean, unused supplies to those who can use them.

REMEDY volunteers collect unused surgical supplies from the operating theatre and sort them in recycled cardboard boxes before sending the material overseas.

Cardboard boxes of surgical supplies donated by REMEDY are ready to be dispatched to various hospitals in Philippines through the humanitarian organisation Knightsbridge International.

Equipment for the paediatric ward of the Jolo Provincial Hospital, situated in one of the Philippines' poorest provinces, was donated by REMEDY and received through the humanitarian organisation Knightsbrigde International.

Anaesthesiologist W. Rosenblatt has been channeling 32 tonnes of unused surgical supplies such as gloves, syringes and other items, to hospitals in the developing world since 1991 with his REMEDY project.