A Health Canada requirement is blamed for preventing a Canadian aid agency from sending desperately needed medical equipment to the third world.

For seven years International HOPE Canada has been sending hospital beds, crutches, canes, wheelchairs, unused sutures and bandages to hospitals in the Third World.

But the agency says a decision by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority to stop providing it with equipment means it will have to shutdown.

Health Canada requires most donated equipment to be labelled and tracked in the event of a recall.

But the Winnipeg Health authority says it just doesn't have the staff to do that, and so can no longer provide HOPE Canada with used or surplus equipment.

HOPE Canada president Roma Maconachie says unless the rules change, medical supplies that have been helping thousands of impoverished people will now go to landfills.

(aw/cp)