New life for old equipment at former Royal Victoria Hospital

When the Royal Victoria Hospital in downtown Montreal moved into the new Glen site, staff there left everything behind, including equipment.

Now, a lot of that equipment is on its way to new homes — in central Africa to eight hospitals in Cameroon.

"They are in dire need of everything," said Pierre-Étienne Fortier, planning co-ordinator for the McGill University Health Centre who was in charge of the big move in 2015.

"Furniture, bedside tables, something that we think is granted, there they don't have it. "

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Fortier said consular officials knocked on his door a few weeks ago.

"The first thing they said was, 'Oh my God! We will be able to help so many people.' They were just amazed, really amazed."

Before the equipment is donated or relocated, a team of biomedical staff will test it to ensure it's in good working order.

Fortier said many of the items are now in a warehouse in Dorval.

It took a team took more than 20 moves to put all the equipment — including beds, IV stands and bassinets — in eight containers.

"It took less than two weeks to bring everything out. They took so much stuff. It will help at least eight hospitals."

Fortier said that leftover equipment usually goes to Quebec hospitals first. Most of the medical supplies on the former hospital's eighth floor, its former cardiac surgery unit, will likely go to the Lakeshore General Hospital.

Anything left behind can go to countries in need, through Collaboration Santé Internationale, a non-profit group that helps developing countries in health and education.

Countries like Honduras have already picked up lots of equipment, said Fortier.

"This is really, really good equipment … so it can be used for long, long time again."