Industry news: Pfizer tops global list as largest corporate donor

According to the survey which compared philanthropic spend of the 150 biggest companies in the US according to their annual revenue, Pfizer topped the list for its charitable contributions in 2006.

During this period, Pfizer contributed more than US$1.7 billion in cash and products to charities and patients around the world. Of these contributions, 95% represents donations of medicines to people around the world, mainly through the International Trachoma Initiative, the Diflucan Partnership Programme and Pfizer Helpful Answers in the US.

Pfizer's philanthropic partnerships and programmes seek to improve living standards through high quality healthcare; enhance communities where the company operates; build scientific knowledge and skills among teachers and students and encourage the involvement of Pfizer employees in local charitable programmes.

Today, Pfizer continues to build on this tradition of extending a helping hand all over the world including right here in South Africa. In 2006 alone, Pfizer invested more than R100 million in cash and medicines in Southern Africa to assist people in need.

“Pfizer has a long and distinguished history of philanthropy in South Africa. As the needs of our people grow, so does our commitment. Pfizer has demonstrated a long term commitment to addressing global healthcare issues and has worked in partnership with many governmental and nongovernmental organizations to help people in need and strengthen healthcare systems and services around the world,” says Richard Paulson, CEO and Country Manager of Pfizer South Africa.

“We sincerely hope that this international acknowledgment of Pfizer's generosity to the poor and disadvantaged of the world will serve to instill a sense of encouragement for our counterparts in the industry and other likeminded organizations to raise the bar in their future contributions for charity”, concludes Paulson.

In South Africa, Pfizer has demonstrated its commitment of investing towards charity and building innovative and sustainable partnerships with local communities through the support of several philanthropic programmes locally including our flagship partnership programme: Diflucan Partnership Programme (DPP).

Launched in 2000 with the South African Ministry of Health, the DPP helps to ensure proper diagnosis and care for patients who cannot afford treatment of two fungal opportunistic infections commonly associated with HIV/AIDS; cryptococcal meningitis and oesophageal candidiasis. Diflucan® is made available free and without limit on time or value, to state facilities and NGOs. The donation is coupled with a training programme ensuring that health care professionals are able to correctly diagnose, treat and manage the infections.

Based on the success of the programme in South Africa, Pfizer extended the DPP to all developing countries with an HIV/AIDS prevalence of more than 1%. Today, 59 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean are participating in the Partnership.

The DPP has come a long way here in South Africa with just a mere 48 sites operating after the launch six years ago. Today, there are more than 460 Diflucan® dispensing sites in South Africa alone. The Programme continues to access treatment and improve the quality of life of people who would otherwise not be able to access this medicine.

“At Pfizer we are proud of the progress we have made thus far in the roll out of the Diflucan Partnership Plan. We are grateful to all our participating partners in this initiative including the South African government and the Health Ministry and local NGO's who continue to work tirelessly to make this programme a success”, says Paulson.

Pfizer is involved in other community charity initiatives in South Africa as follows:

·Soweto Hospice and Mapetla Day Care Centre

The Soweto Hospice was opened to provide care for the terminally ill in 1998. Pfizer is an active partner of the Hospice, providing support for the daycare centre at Mapetla, Community Care Workers and community education. In 2005 Pfizer donated R1-million towards the construction of a new and bigger facility in Diepkloof, Soweto.

·Wits Reproductive Health Research Unit

Pfizer supports the RHRU which has become a global leader in sexual, reproductive health and HIV research, training, policy and programme development.

· SOS Children's Villages

Pfizer has been a long term supporter of the SOS Children's Villages by providing the means to integrate orphaned, abused or abandoned children into normal families. Pfizer has adopted 20 children in two houses in Ennerdale in Gauteng and Thornton in the Western Cape.

·Medical Education for Black South Africans

Pfizer's partnership with MESAB spans over 10 years and is designed to provide medically related tertiary scholarships to black South Africans. In addition to the scholarships which aim to encourage and foster Science careers, Pfizer funding provides a mentorship programme to help and support students' transition into the tertiary environment and address their academic needs. To date, we have 13 graduates from the Pfizer sponsorship (7 Medicine, 5 Pharmacy, 1 Dentistry), and the Programme will be expanded to include a Masters in Public Heath in 2006.

· University of the Witwatersrand Reproductive Health Research Unit

Pfizer is an active supporter of the RHRU, an international leader in sexual and reproductive health and HIV research, training, policy and programme development. The Unit is housed within the Wits Health Consortium at Wits University.

· University of KwaZulu Natal Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine

Pfizer was the largest single partner in the development of the unique HIV/AIDS Virtual Information Systems Gateway and the Molecular research facility at the University's Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine. This international clearing-house will assist in streamlining the research process, support researchers and encourage research in HI/AIDS and hone the ability to access, retrieve and disseminate information to scientists across the world, allowing researchers to conclude research more quickly and accurately.

· Pfizer UKZN Young Scientist Research Symposium

This is a partnership with the University Of KwaZulu Natal Faculty Of Health Sciences which was founded on a vision to nurture a new breed of young scientists to drive a vibrant research based health industry in South Africa. Students from various universities' medical and health science faculties in the country gather to showcase their research work and compete nationally with their peers.

Pfizer South Africa
85 Bute Lane
Sandton
www.pfizer.com

Enquiries:
Solly Mabotha
011 320 6000
solly.mabotha@pfizer.com