Healthcare Nonprofit Partners with Greater New York Hospital Association to Give Medical Supplies “Second Life”
YONKERS, NY (October 15, 2024) – Afya, a Yonkers-based global healthcare not-for-profit organization today announced a first-of-its-kind initiative, inviting every New York City hospital to donate unused medical supplies to Afya for delivery to physicians and hospitals in need around the world. The campaign was launched through a partnership with the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA).
“We are working toward a vision of having New York City be the first city in the United States where surplus and unused medical supplies like bandages, sutures, and IV poles from a coalition of all hospitals can have a second life rather than be discarded,” said Afya Founder and Chief Executive Officer Danielle Butin, a former healthcare executive. “Afya has the proven capacity to connect with global healthcare providers and donate critical supplies to help save lives.”
Butin partnered with GNYHA, one of Afya’s strategic allies, to launch the collaboration with GNYHA’s member hospitals and health systems. While Afya has worked with 18 New York hospitals since its inception in 2007, Afya and GNYHA hope to add many more GNYHA members as part of this new campaign.
“GNYHA and our members have long supported Afya’s work, and we look forward to expanding the network of hospitals that donate unused medical equipment to Afya,” said Lee H. Perlman, GNYHA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative and Financial Officer. “New York’s hospitals are deeply committed to helping people around the world with supplies and equipment that our counterparts will use to save countless lives.”
Afya (the name translates to “health” in Swahili), has sent $49.5 million worth of lifesaving medical and humanitarian supplies and equipment in the last 17 years to numerous countries and regions, including Ukraine, the Middle East, Haiti, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, and Uganda. Butin estimates the new initiative could triple the amount of supplies collected and distributed annually, from one million pounds to three million pounds.
U.S. federal regulations require medical supplies—even if sterile, unused, and in original packaging—to be discarded after they have entered a doctor’s office, hospital room, or operating room where a patient has been present. Without a way to collect, store, and distribute these supplies elsewhere, the materials typically end up in landfills. Afya, however, connects directly with providers and hospitals worldwide to learn what supplies are needed, efficiently redirecting the surplus for the greatest benefit. “There has never been a moment during our 17-year history when there wasn’t a need,” Butin said. “We are at an amazing turning point with more and more crises in the world.”
A tangential bonus of Afya’s work is the diversion of tons of materials from landfills, contributing to a healthier environment; more than 16 million pounds, or 8,000 tons, have been diverted to date. “Landfills emit methane gas, which contributes to global warming,” noted Butin. “Decreasing the volume of materials slated for waste incineration is a positive step in reducing the environmentally costly impact of waste.”
Butin added: “I wanted to start a movement—I want New York City and its surrounding areas to be the one part of the United States where every health institution is committed to giving a second life to supplies. There’s an opportunity to divert what would be waste into lifesaving measures. New York City is known for so much that is innovative and strong and courageous, and I think this fits the philosophy of practice of the city quite beautifully. We want to create a systematic approach to how supplies are going to be collected. Afya will serve as the bridge to vetting partners who need supplies every single day.”
About Afya
Launched in 2007 by Danielle Butin, a former healthcare executive, Yonkers-based Afya envisions a world where all people have access to quality healthcare. The award-winning nonprofit rescues surplus medical supplies and diverts them to providers around the world to deliver optimal health care to compromised communities. Since its inception, it has delivered $49.5 million worth of lifesaving supplies to 87 countries, helping millions access healthcare. Afya has a 95% Charity Navigator rating. To learn more and donate, visit https://afyafoundation.org/.
About GNYHA
Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) is a trade association comprising nearly 280 member hospitals, health systems, and continuing care facilities in the metropolitan New York area and throughout New York State, as well as in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. GNYHA is a dynamic, constantly evolving center for health care advocacy and expertise with a core mission of helping hospitals deliver the finest patient care in the most cost-effective way. GNYHA uses its policy expertise, vast analytical tools, and uncommon resources to advocate for its members. From fighting for their interests in Washington, DC, and Albany to working with them to improve patient care to helping them prepare for and respond to emergencies, GNYHA works to ensure that its members have the tools to succeed.