Drug company’s donation to African patients
A PHARMACEUTICALS business has helped save lives at an East African hospital thanks to a donation of antibiotics.
Morningside Pharmaceuticals, in Loughborough, has sent packs of the antibiotic Clarithromycin to help treat 600 at a hospital in Ekwendeni, central Malawi.
The drugs are used for respiratory illnesses, and management at Morningside said the donation was particularly important to a community where pneumonia was the second most common illness and second most cause of death at the hospital.
Most of the time, they said, the hospital does not have regular access to high quality medicines.
The medicines were delivered through a charity called Inter Care - Medical Aid for Africa, which is based in Syston, Leicestershire, and which specialises in sending high quality aid to rural health units in sub-Saharan Africa including Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, chief executive of Morningside Pharmaceuticals, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Inter Care to provide high quality generic medicines to communities throughout Africa.
“Morningside was founded on the vision of making quality healthcare an affordable and accessible reality throughout the world, so it’s a real privilege to be able to make this donation to communities in Africa, which urgently need quality medical supplies.”
Jean Widdowson, Inter Care trustee, said: “We are so grateful for this donation from Morningside Pharmaceuticals, which has made a huge difference to patients’ lives at the hospital. Thank you for your support and for providing these essential medicines for Africa.”
The antibiotic has allowed the hospital to treat a wide range of illnesses.
Dr Donatien Twizelimana, chief medical officer at the hospital, said: “This antibiotic offers a broad spectrum of effects and provides us with another strong oral antibiotic, which will be a huge help when treating our patients.”
Morningside Pharmaceuticals manufactures and supplies generic medicines to the UK and globally.
The company exports to more than 100 countries since its inception, and is now one of the UK’s leading suppliers of a range of medicines to international aid organisations.
Dr Kotecha is also the founder and trustee of the Randal Charitable Foundation, which is dedicated to saving lives, helping the socially disadvantaged and improving the quality of life for those in need in the UK and around the world.
He is also a Department for International Trade (DIT) Export Champion and a CBI Regional Councillor.
His business has supplied pharmaceuticals and medical products for 28 years to the UK and abroad.