Merck, a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in the pharmaceutical, chemical and life science sectors, will be donating € 250,000 to support the German Red Cross, a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in the fight against Ebola. With this donation, the company is underlining social responsibility as part of its entrepreneurial approach.
“We want to help the people who are suffering in the affected countries quickly and in an uncomplicated manner. Therefore, we are providing the German Red Cross with € 250,000,” said Stefan Oschmann, CEO Pharma and Member of the Executive Board of Merck. “Our donation complements the many different initiatives with which Merck is helping to improve access to medicines and medical care for the people of Africa,” Oschmann added. The fight against the tropical worm disease schistosomiasis through donations of praziquantel tablets to the World Health Organization as well as efforts to contain the spread of counterfeit medicines through the use of mobile Minilabs represent two initiatives by Merck in this area.
“The entire provision of health care in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea has virtually fallen apart. The conditions prevailing locally are catastrophic. We are therefore very happy to receive Merck’s contribution to the fight against Ebola,” said Rudolf Seiters, President of the German Red Cross. Local Red Cross aid workers have been in action since the outbreak of the epidemic in West Africa. The German Red Cross is supporting the national Red Cross organizations. In addition, the German Red Cross is expanding and enhancing a treatment center for Ebola patients operated by the International Red Cross in Sierra Leone. In Liberia, the German Red Cross will begin operating a treatment center for Ebola patients, with support from the German military, as of mid-November.
More information on the fight against Ebola can be found on the website of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.