Donation Helps Fijians Cope with High Cholesterol
Santa Barbara, CALIF. (August 31, 2009) Thanks to a generous donation by Merck & Co, Inc., 400 patients at Fiji’s Savusavu Hospital will receive medication to treat their high cholesterol free of charge for one year.
Merck's donation of ZOCOR® (simvastatin, Merck & Co., Inc.) anti-cholesterol medication is comprised of 146,000 individual tablets.
According to a 2006 World Health Organisation report, ischaemic heart disease, brought on by high cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension, is Fiji’s leading cause of death. The World Health Organisation lists simvastatin as an essential medicine for treating high cholesterol.
“Many people think of Fiji only as white-sand beaches, turquoise waters with colourful fish and magnificent coral, and the friendliest people on earth,” noted Dr. Mohammed Ishaque, Director of Savusavu Hospital and Sub-Divisional Medical Officer for Cakaudrove Province on Vanua Levu. “But unfortunate medical conditions dampen this idyllic place. Diets often high in saturated fats, starch, and sugar lead to cases of high cholesterol and heart disease. Thanks to Merck, we will now begin to address this problem.” Patients will also receive nutrition education guides to accompany their drug treatment regimen.
The donation was made possible through a collaboration between Merck, U.S.-based Direct Relief International, a humanitarian medical aid organisation; and the Savusavu Community Foundation (SCF), a nonprofit corporation operating in the U.S. and Fiji to provide medical, education and environmental support to Savusavu and other areas throughout Fiji. The Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort handled the consignment and physical delivery of the donation to Savusavu Hospital.
Acting Managing Director of MSD (Merck) in New Zealand Mark Vanderwee says, "We are delighted to be able to provide the people of Fiji with access to ZOCOR. ZOCOR is used along with diet to improve cholesterol levels in people at risk of heart disease and stroke. Merck believes it has an important role and responsibility to improve access to medicines, vaccines and quality healthcare so that they reach patients wherever they may live. And we hope this donation will have a positive impact on the health of the Fijian population."
Merck & Co., Inc. also donated 25 copies of the 18th edition of the Merck Manual for use at Savusavu and Labasa Hospitals, in addition to nursing stations and medical centers throughout the region. The Merck Manual is the most respected and widely used guide in the world to assist doctors and nurses in diagnosing and treating medical problems from simple ailments to complex diseases. Dr. Neil Sharma, Fiji’s Minister of Health stated, “I find these manuals invaluable and hope to eventually have copies at all of Fiji’s medical locations.”
About ZOCOR
ZOCOR is one of a group of drugs called statins that lower cholesterol levels in people at risk of developing heart disease. ZOCOR reduces the amount of “bad” LDL cholesterol in the body and increases the amount of “good” HDL cholesterol the body produces.
ZOCOR also reduces the level of triglycerides in the body. Triglycerides are fatty acids that can contribute to blockages in the arteries. ZOCOR has been proven to help save the lives of people with heart disease and high cholesterol. This has been proven by two large clinical studies which showed ZOCOR reduced deaths from heart attack by 42 percent, reduced the need for heart surgery by 37 percent, and reduced the risk of major coronary events by 34 percent. (Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study Group: randomized trial of cholesterol lowering in 444 patients with coronary heart disease: The Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (4S). Lancet 344 (8934); 1383-1389, Nov 14, 1994.)
About Direct Relief International
Founded in 1948, Direct Relief is a Santa Barbara, California-based nonprofit organization focused on improving quality of life by bringing critically needed medicines and supplies to local healthcare providers worldwide. Direct Relief works in 59 countries, including the United States where it has provided more than $150 million in assistance and is the only nonprofit licensed to provide prescription medicines in all 50 states. It is one of two charities ranked by Forbes that has received a perfect fundraising efficiency score for seven consecutive years and is ranked by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as California’s largest international nonprofit organization based on private support. For more information, please visit www.DirectRelief.org.
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