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Investments
Lilly announces $50 mn Investment in Global Tuberculosis Partnership
The investment brings Lilly's total commitment to $120
million for long-term, sustainable programme including India
 Eli
Lilly and Company recently announced plans to invest an additional $50 million
in an innovative, global partnership to fight Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis
(MDR-TB). This announcement was made on the eve of World TB Day.
The Lilly MDR-TB partnership is an international alliance of 14 public and private
organisations, including businesses, humanitarian organisations, academic institutions,
and professional healthcare associations. This new commitment furthers Lilly's
support to a pioneering initiative started in 2003, and brings the total Lilly
investment to $120 million globally. The funding supports a multi-pronged strategy
to increase the supply and availability of effective drugs for treating the
complex and life-threatening disease; training for front-line healthcare personnel;
and efforts to focus global resources on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
of MDR-TB. "We totally understand our role in the global battle against
MDR-TB and recognise its responsibility to those afflicted by this deadly disease.
These additional funds will extend our commitment to transferring the technologies
and improving the support systems needed to stop the spread of MDR-TB,"
said Sidney Taurel, Lilly's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. India has
the highest number of people infected with TB in the whole world. According
to a recent WHO report, 1.8 million people get affected by TB in India on an
annual basis.
Sandeep Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director, Eli Lilly India, said, "Every
two minutes, a person dies from TB in India. India has more cases of TB than
any other country in the world."
Over the last few years, with support from Lilly, thousands of healthcare workers
globally have been trained in treating MDR-TB and thousands of community workers
have helped patients and their families overcome MDR-TB and its stigma. The
additional funding will enable more training of healthcare workers, support
workplace education aimed at earlier identification of TB and HIV and increase
the number of countries with strengthened MDR-TB control.
EH News Bureau
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