Coca-Cola foundation donates drugs worthy $1.5m
The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation in partnership with CitiHope International, an international charity that works to prevent disease and promote health worldwide have donated assorted drugs worth US$1.5million to the Ministry of Health.
Between 2005 and 2007, the Coca-Cola Medical relief Initiative also donated medicines worth US$3 million to Malawi.
The two organisations have since warned the ministry to check against drug pilferage saying the drugs should not end up in private pharmacies.
The donated drugs include: Amoxicillin capsules, Amoxicillin for oral suspension, Clavulanate Potassium for oral suspension, Ciprofloxacin tablets, Captopril tablets, Women’s prenatal, Post Natal Vitamin, Mineral supplement and Vitamin A 200,000 IU Capsules.
Carlsberg Malawi director of logistics James Katunga, who represented the Coca-Cola Foundation at the handover ceremony, held in Mzuzu at the St John of God Community services hall, said the current incessant shortage of forex in Malawi makes it difficult for the government to fulfil its various obligations.
Good health
The donation is the beginning of a nation wide campaign that will go to almost all the places where Coca-Cola products are sold, said Katunga.
Katunga also said the Coca-Cola Company knows that the shortage of drugs in Malawi’s hospitals is one of the health issues the company must provocatively and seriously take on “as one of the issues that affect our communities and therefore our business”
“For us, a better and health society means better business… today’s donation is also about our consumer’s enjoyment of good health,” he said.
CitiHope Malawi Country Director Gabriel Msongole said the drugs will benefit both government and Christian health Association of Malawi (CHAM) institutions throughout the country.
