Bayer Donates Potent Antibiotic to NGO Project HOPE UK to Improve Health Care for Tens of Thousands in Zanzibar

Project HOPE UK announced that as many as 40,000 patients in Zanzibar will receive the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, donated by Bayer HealthCare to treat a range of illnesses in underserved communities in the East African country.

Posted: July 19, 2013

London, England, July 19, 2013

Project HOPE UK announced that as many as 40,000 patients in Zanzibar will receive the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, donated by Bayer HealthCare to treat a range of illnesses in underserved communities in the East African country.

Ciprofloxacin is a highly effective antibiotic used to treat most strains of bacterial infections including respiratory, urinary tract, gastrointestinal, and abdominal ailments.

“Thanks to Bayer, we are providing greater access to more effective medicines that result in improved care for patients in Zanzibar. Patients will leave the hospital more quickly because they now have access to a powerful antibiotic,” said Ellie Higgins, Manager, Strategic Partnerships, at Project HOPE UK, a partner of Project HOPE (People-to-People Health Foundation Inc.), a global health education and humanitarian assistance organisation.

The donation of 7,000 units of ciprofloxacin tablets was presented today to the Ministry of Health in Zanzibar in a ceremony involving government officials and representatives of Bayer and Project HOPE. The Mnazi mmoja Hospital is the major recipient of the donated medicine as it is the only tertiary care facility in the country and serves one fifth of the population in semi-autonomous Zanzibar. The antibiotic will also be delivered to rural health facilities.

“We aim to make our products accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of their income or where they live,” said Professor Wolfgang Pischke, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and Head of Bayer HealthCare. “We are delighted to work with Project HOPE and the Ministry of Health in Zanzibar to address the medical needs of patients in Zanzibar and help speed up the recovery process for patients in need in both urban and rural communities.”

Project HOPE and the Ministry of Health will closely monitor the shipment to ensure it gets to the right patients.

Bayer HealthCare initiates and supports many efforts to improve healthcare, family planning, the fight against neglected and infectious diseases, training doctors and nurses sexual education campaigns, or programs that provide low-income communities medicines they need. In addition to donating medicines or funds for acute emergencies, its engagement focuses on sustainable programs for long-term improvements in healthcare.

About Project HOPE UK

Founded as an independent charity in 1994, Project HOPE UK is devoted to improving the long-term health of vulnerable children, especially those facing poverty, conflict or other challenges. The organization works to provide the best available medicines to patients in developing countries and is gaining growing recognition as an innovator in children’s health.

About Project HOPE

Founded in 1958, Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere) is dedicated to providing lasting solutions to health crises, with the mission of helping people to help themselves. Identifiable to many by the SS HOPE, the world’s first peacetime hospital ship, Project HOPE now conducts land-based medical training and health education programs in more than 35 countries across five continents.

About Bayer HealthCare

The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subgroup of Bayer AG with annual sales of EUR 18.6 billion (2012), is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover, develop, manufacture and market products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Bayer HealthCare has a global workforce of 55,300 employees (Dec 31, 2012) and is represented in more than 100 countries.