TED: "Donations Hurt": a new perspective on medical equipment donation

Ongoing efforts around the world to develop alternative, low-cost medical devices that improve health care delivery in low-resource settings. Dr. Malkin is a Duke University Professor and the founder of Engineering World Health and the Global Public Service Academies. He is a member of the World Health Organization's Technical Advisory Group on Healthcare Technology and a member of the committee rewriting the WHO Medical Equipment Donation Guidelines. Dr. Malkin's laboratory at Duke has launched products for the developing world to treat hyperbilirubinemia, detect cervical cancer and prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

things you can do:

1) stop donating medical equipment
2) if you donate to charities that do donate medical equipment ask one question "how much of the equipment you donate is operating six months after you donate it?"  Hint: an answer of 100% is a lie.  In the speakers experience they have never seen more that 30% of equipment- including donation NEW not used equipment!
3) see that equipment is locally produced, at least partially.