Merck proposed the creation of a global alliance to help the World Health Organization (WHO) achieve its goal of eliminating schistosomiasis worldwide in Geneva. Merck will be a founding member of this new global alliance aiming to further support WHO’s goal of eliminating schistosomiasis. Merck calls for different NTD (neglected tropical diseases) constituencies to join on focusing efforts to address remaining gaps and challenges to meet the elimination target.
Stefan Oschmann, Member of the Executive Board of Merck and Chief Executive Officer Pharma, presented this initiative on the occasion of the 67th World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of WHO, in the presence of HE Hanny-Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Health of Ghana, and Dr Hiroki Nakatani, Assistant Director-General Neglected Tropical Diseases of WHO.
Merck is committed to helping WHO to eliminate the worm disease schistosomiasis in Africa. As an important part of its responsible entrepreneurship, the company launched the Merck Praziquantel Donation Programme in 2007. Praziquantel is well tolerated and the most effective treatment to date for schistosomiasis. Since then, more than 38 million children have been treated and over 160 million tablets have been donated.
While other neglected tropical diseases have demonstrated the value of inclusive alliances, as of today no alliance for schistosomiasis yet exists. “We see this initiative as a major development,” said Oschmann. “This alliance will allow the different constituencies to engage in a coordinated approach to best address the challenges on how to meet the elimination target.” Merck will work with WHO and partners to define the appropriate structure of this alliance to ensure its pragmatic operational functionality.
“We need to keep up the momentum in translating our commitments into actions, with Merck’s commitment to raise our donation up to 250 million tablets by 2016. We also need to ensure that our donation benefits the maximum number of children. The global alliance is a new opportunity to bring together all interested partners and create a new turning point for the elimination of schistosomiasis,” said Oschmann. “Providing the drug praziquantel is only one part of the solution; we therefore recognise the need to go beyond this and foster a holistic, integrated approach to supporting WHO in reaching the ultimate elimination target.”
EP News Bureau – Mumbai
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