As part of its partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), Merck, a science and technology company, has donated its 1.5 billionth tablet of praziquantel. The drug is the treatment of choice for schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia) — one of the most common and devastating parasitic diseases in tropical countries. Children in poor and rural communities are particularly hard hit. Since 2007, Merck has provided treatment for more than 600 million school children in 47 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
“The donation of the 1.5 billionth praziquantel tablet is a significant milestone in our collaborative commitment to eradicate schistosomiasis. To date, hundreds of millions of children who otherwise would not have received treatment have been able to receive treatment for this devastating disease. A study published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases demonstrates the significant impact of our donation program. According to the study, the prevalence of schistosomiasis in school-age children in sub-Saharan Africa has been reduced by nearly 60% over the past 20 years. I am very proud of our company’s contribution to the fight against schistosomiasis. We will continue our full commitment until the disease is eradicated for good.”
- Peter Guenter, Member of the Executive Board
The program to fight schistosomiasis is a key component of Merck’s corporate goal to improve the quality of life, health and well-being for more and more people around the world. The 1.5‑billionth tablet was part of a 24-million-tablet shipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since 2013, the central African country has received more than 138 million tablets.
At the same time as the praziquantel shipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the company is expanding its commitment to Rwanda. In January 2021, the company had announced plans to provide the country with 8 million tablets annually for the treatment of adult schistosomiasis patients. This additional quantity complements the annual tablet donation for the treatment of school-aged children. The first shipment arrived in the country in late 2021. Since then, the first adults have already been treated, marking the official start of the partnership. The treatment is a key component of the Government of Rwanda’s strategic plan to eliminate schistosomiasis and other NTDs as a public health burden by 2024.
The Group’s schistosomiasis program addresses the key requirement for treatment with praziquantel as an integral part of the WHO’s 2021–2030 Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases. The company also contributes to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Health and Wellbeing (Goal 3) and Partnerships (Goal 17). This is in line with the sustainability strategy.
