Partnerships between public, private and non-governmental sectors are crucial to advancing the cause of global health. At Merck, we believe corporations can contribute significantly to solving societal problems by providing our resources, expertise and commitment.
The Merck Mectizan Donation Program for the treatment of river blindness demonstrates the value of innovative partnerships to overcome immense challenges in delivering sustainable healthcare. Providing a medicine free-of-charge did not get that medicine to the people who needed it most. It required the collaborative efforts of many organizations including Merck, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, ministries of health, non-governmental organizations, and community health workers. Today the program reaches more than 25 million people annually and its original vision has been broadened to include the prevention of lymphatic filariasis.
While collaboration was essential with Mectizan, it is even more so with HIV. Faced with the growing HIV pandemic in the developing world, Merck realized the need to work with other stakeholders to undertake a bold, comprehensive partnership to make a meaningful impact. The Botswana Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership, a unique collaboration between the Republic of Botswana, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Merck, was established to develop a comprehensive model for HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment.
The complexity of global health issues we face, the entrenched nature of diseases in the developing world and the fragility of the infrastructures we seek to build require multi-faceted partnerships to craft sustainable solutions.
Learning Objectives: 1) There is a need for business leaders, governments, the nonprofit sector and other leaders to work constructively, effectively, and in partnership to address global health challenges. 2) It is essential to have the right distribution methods and healthcare infrastructure to make sure that medicines get to the people who really need them. 3) It is critical that the public and private sectors work together in a way that lets the people who are most directly affected determine their own needs and priorities. 4) It is vital to the success of any effort that the right mechanisms are in place for coordination, communication and commitment from all stakeholders in the process.
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.