Pfizer partners NPOs by deploying global health fellows

NEW YORK -- Pfizer Inc today announced the eighth class of Global Health Fellows, a group of 28 Pfizer colleagues from North America, Europe and Asia, who will partner with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and multilateral organizations (MLOs) in developing countries to help build health care infrastructure while on dedicated 4-6 month assignments.

The Pfizer Global Health Fellows program is one of the first public-private partnerships of its type and is entering its fifth year. Pfizer is among few major corporations with a strong commitment to skills-based international volunteerism and has been leading a drive, along with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Brookings Institution, to help engage new companies in the arena.

“The program provides our partners with the use of our company's most valuable asset, the skills and expertise of our employees,” explained Pfizer Chairman and CEO Jeff Kindler. “Pfizer Global Health Fellows are able to help address critical needs of the underserved while learning from our on-the-ground partners to better anticipate and drive a positive, long-term impact on global health.”

From 2003 to 2007 the program deployed 127 Pfizer colleagues whose work represented more than 120,000 hours of dedicated skills-based support to help meet local health needs in developing countries. The current class of Fellows will continue the tradition and apply their skills in science, pharmacology and laboratory management and business planning to train researchers and health care providers, develop best practices, implement information technology resources and upgrade facilities and financial infrastructure. Pfizer colleagues from 22 countries and Puerto Rico have participated in the program.

Robert Mallett, Senior Vice President at Pfizer and President of the Pfizer Foundation noted, “Our Fellows not only provide value for society-at-large, but also gain global perspectives, new ideas and skill sets which ultimately inform business innovation – one of Pfizer's core values.”

Round 8 Fellows will work in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, South America and Europe supporting 17 unique NGOs and multilateral organizations.

Round 8 NGO Partners:

Family Health International
International AIDS Society
U.S. Agency for International Development
Angkor Hospital for Children/Health Volunteers Overseas
Columbia University Access Project
Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India/American Jewish World Service
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE/Health Volunteers overseas
Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS
African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer/American Cancer Society
IntraHealth International
Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS – Global Business Coalition
The Dominican Association of the Order of Malta/Project HOPE
Pan-American Health Organization
International Trachoma Initiative
Makerere Medical School, Dept. of Pharmacy/Health Volunteers Overseas
The Mothers' Programmes

Pfizer, Brookings and FSG Social Impact Advisors recently released a study called “Volunteering for Impact: Best Practices in International Corporate Volunteering” which highlights several major trends in how and why companies are choosing to invest in the arena.

David Caprara, Director of Brookings' Initiative on International Volunteering and Service stated: “Skills-based international corporate volunteering is a critical component to addressing the developing countries' most critical challenges. No one sector can overcome the current obstacles to development alone, but through innovative partnerships, like the Pfizer Global Health Fellows program, global volunteering can leverage assets to effect measurable outcomes alleviating suffering and disease.”

“Our partnership with Pfizer is illustrative of a win-win situation for corporations, government and health care service providers alike,” said Mary Jordan, senior technical adviser for Public-Private Partnerships at the U.S. Agency for International Development. “By loaning its employees' hard-to-procure skills to PEPFAR grantees, Pfizer helps them to overcome significant challenges to service expansion. We have many examples of this, including the mothers2mothers programmes which are now expanding HIV-AIDS services to seven sub-Saharan African countries, in part due to the financial management Fellows receive from Pfizer.”

Global Health Fellows are selected for specific positions through a competitive process, in part for their desire to make a difference in the world, their strengths in teaching and training, and their enthusiasm to see their work carried on by local teams. Pfizer has committed to fund transportation, lodging and other expenses for the Fellows, while maintaining their position within the company.

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

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