The IMRF - a non-profit 501(c)3 - was created and is managed mainly by a group of concerned Rotarians in New York State's Mid Hudson region, the International Medical Relief Foundation seeks to bridge the profound healthcare gap worldwide.

Acting as a clearinghouse, the Foundation collects surplus and outdated medical and surgical goods from hospitals, clinics, manufacturers, and individual physicians for shipment to countries not so fortunate as ours to be used by public and charitable institutions, for the betterment of health of their citizens.  The distribution in the receiving country is supervised by volunteers, through the Rotary International network.

Our nation has been blessed with an abundance of healthcare supplies.  Because of new inventions, consumer preferences for the latest technology and strict sterility regulations, the U.S. healthcare system discards billions of dollars worth of medical supplies and equipment each year and is increasing every year.  In addition to threatening our environment, this surplus imposes the economic burden of storage and disposal costs.  Some of the equipment discarded by us are "state of the art" instruments in some underdeveloped countries.

The discrepancy between conditions in hospitals in the U.S. and in the developing world is alarming and sometimes beyond imagination.  Working with partner institutions around the globe, the IMRF will recycle this surplus, thereby reducing the medical waste while improving the health of communities worldwide.  By providing materials for the infrastructure of healthcare, the IMRF hopes to influence the standard of public health in the developing countries.

To see the history of the IMRF, click Here.