‘Tigray Malaria Project’ is honored as an innovative public-private collaboration at prestigious Global Business Coalition Award ceremony·
Award commendations and prizes from Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria are given annually to the most effective disease-fighting private sector initiatives·
Tigray Malaria Project was the result of the collaboration among Novartis Italy, the then Italian Ministry of Health (today Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Policies), the Tigray Health Bureau (Northern Ethiopia), the World Health Organisation (WHO), San Gallicano Hospital in Rome, and the Italian Dermatological Hospital in Mekelle, Tigray·
Innovative involvement of community health workers delivering Coartem® led to a 52% reduction in the rate of mortality due to malaria.
The ‘Tigray Malaria Project’ will be given a commendation at the 2008 award ceremony of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The GBC Awards for Business Excellence are given annually to recognize the most effective private sector initiatives in the fight against these diseases. The ceremony will take place on 9 June in New York, and the honored guest UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will join the event.
Tigray Malaria Project, which was implemented in 2005-2007, was the result of the collaboration among Novartis Italy, the then Italian Ministry of Health (today Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Policies), the Tigray Health Bureau (Northern Ethiopia), the World Health Organisation (WHO), San Gallicano Hospital in Rome, and the Italian Dermatological Hospital in Mekelle, Tigray.
“It is a great honor to receive such prestigious recognition” commented Mark Never, CEO of Novartis in Italy. “Tigray malaria Project demonstrates our commitment to promoting the right to health throughout the world by tackling the issue at different levels: developing innovative medicines such as Coartem and bringing together the necessary expertise to help identify and prevent the disease at the community level”.
Tigray Malaria Project, which involved an investment of 525 000 dollars – 400 000 made available by Novartis Italia and 125 000 by the Italian Government (through the WHO) – covered a vast rural area in which malaria is endemic, and involved a total number of 240 000 people in more than 120 villages. It consisted of a capillary programme of prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and training, and involved the active participation of the people directly affected. They were responsible not only for monitoring the disease, but also for dispensing treatment with Coartem®, an artemisinin-based fixed combination that has become one of the anti-malarial drugs of reference.
One particular characteristic of Tigray Malaria Project was the training of community health workers (CHWs), who were given the task of identifying patients with malaria directly in their villages and treating them promptly with Coartem® tablets (artemether/lumefantrine 20 mg/120 mg). Including CHWs was a decisive step in optimising the use of the drug and monitoring the levels of the spread and progression of the disease. As a result of their contribution, more than 130 000 people were treated during the two years of the project and, as early as the end of the first year, there was already a 52% reduction in the number of deaths in the area due to malaria.
“We’re proud to commend Novartis for its outstanding Tigray Malaria Project, which is just the latest component of its remarkable commitment to reducing worldwide mortality due to malaria,” said John Tedstrom, Executive Director of GBC. “Novartis is an integral part of an expanding, cohesive business movement reaching individuals around the world with much-needed treatment and care. Businesses like Novartis possess the skills, resources and influence to achieve otherwise inconceivable outcomes. We need many, many more to make their own contribution”.
In 2007, Novartis Italy received the Italian Sodalitas Social Award for supporting Tigray Malaria Project. This award is the most important local recognition for corporate social responsibility.
About GBC
The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) is a coalition of more than 220 companies united to keep the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria a global priority. The Coalition’s members share learnings from the front lines of the fight, and GBC provides tailored support so that companies can take an active role in defeating the pandemics. GBC also organises collective actions among companies, and links the public and private sectors in ways that pool talents and resources. The official focal point of the private sector delegation to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, GBC maintains offices in New York, Paris, Johannesburg, Beijing, Geneva, Nairobi, Moscow, and Kyiv. For more information about business action against global epidemics, visit: http://www.gbcimpact.org
About Coartem
Coartem is the first WHO pre-qualified, fixed-dose ACT combining artemether, an artemisinin derivative, and lumefantrine. It is a highly effective and well-tolerated antimalarial that achieves cure rates of up to 95%, even in areas of multi-drug resistance. It is indicated for the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria, the most dangerous form of malaria.
Artemisinin is a compound derived from the sweet wormwood plant and has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever. An ACT is a combination of two or more drugs (one of which is an artemisinin derivative) that have different modes of action and different metabolic targets in the parasite. Studies have shown that using two or more drugs in combination has the potential to delay the development of resistance in areas of low transmission. ACTs in particular have been found to be highly effective in treating malaria and their potential to delay resistance in areas of intense transmission is under investigation.
About Novartis
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused solely on growth areas in healthcare, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools, and consumer health products. Novartis is the only company with leading positions in these areas. In 2007, the Group's continuing operations (excluding divestments in 2007) achieved net sales of USD 38.1 billion and net income of USD 6.5 billion. Approximately USD 6.4 billion was invested in R&D activities throughout the Group. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 98,000 full-time associates and operate in over 140 countries around the world.
Novartis was named a Super Sector Leader by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) in 2007. In the same year, 66 million patients around the world benefited from Novartis programs valued at USD 937 million. These initiatives range from drug donation and research programs to combat neglected diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and leprosy in developing nations, to patient assistance programs that help cancer patients receive the most innovative and effective treatments available. For further information, please consult: www.novartis.com
Angela Bianchi
Group Head of Communications
Tel. +39 02 9654 3215
Email: angela.bianchi@novartis.com
Tigray Malaria Project, which was implemented in 2005-2007, was the result of the collaboration among Novartis Italy, the then Italian Ministry of Health (today Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Policies), the Tigray Health Bureau (Northern Ethiopia), the World Health Organisation (WHO), San Gallicano Hospital in Rome, and the Italian Dermatological Hospital in Mekelle, Tigray.
“It is a great honor to receive such prestigious recognition” commented Mark Never, CEO of Novartis in Italy. “Tigray malaria Project demonstrates our commitment to promoting the right to health throughout the world by tackling the issue at different levels: developing innovative medicines such as Coartem and bringing together the necessary expertise to help identify and prevent the disease at the community level”.
Tigray Malaria Project, which involved an investment of 525 000 dollars – 400 000 made available by Novartis Italia and 125 000 by the Italian Government (through the WHO) – covered a vast rural area in which malaria is endemic, and involved a total number of 240 000 people in more than 120 villages. It consisted of a capillary programme of prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and training, and involved the active participation of the people directly affected. They were responsible not only for monitoring the disease, but also for dispensing treatment with Coartem®, an artemisinin-based fixed combination that has become one of the anti-malarial drugs of reference.
One particular characteristic of Tigray Malaria Project was the training of community health workers (CHWs), who were given the task of identifying patients with malaria directly in their villages and treating them promptly with Coartem® tablets (artemether/lumefantrine 20 mg/120 mg). Including CHWs was a decisive step in optimising the use of the drug and monitoring the levels of the spread and progression of the disease. As a result of their contribution, more than 130 000 people were treated during the two years of the project and, as early as the end of the first year, there was already a 52% reduction in the number of deaths in the area due to malaria.
“We’re proud to commend Novartis for its outstanding Tigray Malaria Project, which is just the latest component of its remarkable commitment to reducing worldwide mortality due to malaria,” said John Tedstrom, Executive Director of GBC. “Novartis is an integral part of an expanding, cohesive business movement reaching individuals around the world with much-needed treatment and care. Businesses like Novartis possess the skills, resources and influence to achieve otherwise inconceivable outcomes. We need many, many more to make their own contribution”.
In 2007, Novartis Italy received the Italian Sodalitas Social Award for supporting Tigray Malaria Project. This award is the most important local recognition for corporate social responsibility.
About GBC
The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) is a coalition of more than 220 companies united to keep the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria a global priority. The Coalition’s members share learnings from the front lines of the fight, and GBC provides tailored support so that companies can take an active role in defeating the pandemics. GBC also organises collective actions among companies, and links the public and private sectors in ways that pool talents and resources. The official focal point of the private sector delegation to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, GBC maintains offices in New York, Paris, Johannesburg, Beijing, Geneva, Nairobi, Moscow, and Kyiv. For more information about business action against global epidemics, visit: http://www.gbcimpact.org
About Coartem
Coartem is the first WHO pre-qualified, fixed-dose ACT combining artemether, an artemisinin derivative, and lumefantrine. It is a highly effective and well-tolerated antimalarial that achieves cure rates of up to 95%, even in areas of multi-drug resistance. It is indicated for the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria, the most dangerous form of malaria.
Artemisinin is a compound derived from the sweet wormwood plant and has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever. An ACT is a combination of two or more drugs (one of which is an artemisinin derivative) that have different modes of action and different metabolic targets in the parasite. Studies have shown that using two or more drugs in combination has the potential to delay the development of resistance in areas of low transmission. ACTs in particular have been found to be highly effective in treating malaria and their potential to delay resistance in areas of intense transmission is under investigation.
About Novartis
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused solely on growth areas in healthcare, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools, and consumer health products. Novartis is the only company with leading positions in these areas. In 2007, the Group's continuing operations (excluding divestments in 2007) achieved net sales of USD 38.1 billion and net income of USD 6.5 billion. Approximately USD 6.4 billion was invested in R&D activities throughout the Group. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 98,000 full-time associates and operate in over 140 countries around the world.
Novartis was named a Super Sector Leader by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) in 2007. In the same year, 66 million patients around the world benefited from Novartis programs valued at USD 937 million. These initiatives range from drug donation and research programs to combat neglected diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and leprosy in developing nations, to patient assistance programs that help cancer patients receive the most innovative and effective treatments available. For further information, please consult: www.novartis.com
Angela Bianchi
Group Head of Communications
Tel. +39 02 9654 3215
Email: angela.bianchi@novartis.com
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