Kenya

Praziquantel Donation Program

Merck KGaA’s Praziquantel Donation Program, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to fight schistosomiasis in Africa. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic worm disease that is the second most prevalent and devastating parasitic disease in tropical countries after malaria. Infection occurs when human skin comes into contact with fresh water contaminated by snails carrying the schistosome parasites, which migrate through the body and spread the infectious disease. It represents the 2nd most severe burden for African children after malaria, and is considered as one of the most neglected tropical diseases. The consequences of an infection are particularly serious for children, as schistosomiasis stunts growth and cognitive development and also lead to anemia. WHO reports more than 200 million infected people in Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast and the Western Pacific.

ViiV Healthcare's Positive Action on HIV/AIDS

Set up in 1992, Positive Action is ViiV Healthcare's international HIV/AIDS education, care and community support program. It works with community organizations to build capacity to counter the ignorance and stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS through outreach, education and advocacy. In 2009, ViiV Healthcare provided more than GBP 1 million, funding projects in 46 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

ViiV Healthcare Collaborative Research Program for Resource-Poor Settings

ViiV Healthcare is committed to the development of new molecules that target unmet medical needs in HIV. The treatment of children with HIV/AIDS remains a significant unmet medical need and there is a pressing need for new medicines to tackle problems such as drug resistance, complex treatment regimens, and side effects associated with current treatments.

ViiV Healthcare Access to ARVs

In the Least Developed Countries and sub-Saharan Africa GlaxoSmithKline has offered its HIV/AIDS medicines at not-for-profit (nfp) prices since 2001. ViiV Healthcare will maintain this commitment, and will include the additional products in its portfolio. All of ViiV Healthcare's ARVs are now available at not-for-profit prices to public sector customers and not-for-profit organizations in all Least Developed Countries and all of sub-Saharan Africa - 64 countries in total.

Technology Transfer & ARV Licensing in Developing Countries

Pharmaceutical companies' preferential pricing of antiretrovirals make effective, safe, high quality HIV/AIDS treatments available to developing countries. In some cases, companies also issue voluntary licenses (VLs) which allow local manufacturers in developing countries to produce and sell generic versions of their products. VLs are not a universal solution to HIV/AIDS but a response to specific circumstances. Local factors encouraging VL use include a severe HIV/AIDS epidemic, adequate health care infrastructure, suitable economic conditions and sufficient manufacturing expertise.

Sanofi-aventis: TB Free & Other Initiatives

In March 2002, sanofi-aventis and the Nelson Mandela Foundation established the TB Free program, a EUR 15 million effort to increase detection and treatment rates for tuberculosis in South Africa. Initially planned to finish in 2007, it has now been extended to 2010. The partnership trains volunteers to encourage patient compliance during the 6-month treatment, using the WHO-recommended DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy Short-Course) strategy.

Sanofi-aventis: My Child Matters

In 2004, sanofi-aventis and the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) launched a mobilization and awareness program called 'My Child Matters', to fight against childhood cancers in emerging countries. The objective is to encourage institutions (hospitals, NGOs, etc.) to develop pragmatic approaches to improve awareness, early diagnosis, access to care and treatment, pain control and better management of the social and cultural aspects of the disease for both children and families.

Sanofi-aventis: Impact Epilepsy Program for Developing Countries

Sanofi-aventis, one of the major actors in the fight against epilepsy in the developed world, is also committed to the treatment of epilepsy worldwide using its two major treatments, Gardenal and, more importantly, Depakine / valproate Winthrop within a tiered pricing policy. In Mali, sanofi-aventis is working with Sant Sud and the Association des Medecins de Campagne (AMC) which have created the Reseau Action Recherche contre l'Epilepsie (RARE).

Sanofi-aventis: Diabetes Prevention

In 2006, sanofi-aventis launched pilot programs to help improve diabetes disease management in developing countries, in conjunction with the NGO Handicap International, Sante Diabete Mali and other local NGOs in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Several projects were set up in 2007 in Burundi, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Nicaragua, Philippines and Thailand. The program aims to help local health care systems to manage the disease better, prevent the onset of complications and so avoid the subsequent need for surgical interventions such as amputation.

Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative

In Southern and East Africa, the Novartis Foundation aims to improve livelihoods and future prospects of children and adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS.

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