HPIC's project in Afghanistan making progress - Kabul office now open

MONTREAL, June 29 /CNW Telbec/ - An all-Afghan team has been mandated by Health Partners International of Canada to work at its new office in Kabul, Afghanistan.

They are working on the Capacity Building and Access to Medicines project, a five-year $10 million project funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

"I have personally witnessed the pressing health needs in Afghanistan," said Glen Shepherd, President of HPIC. "HPIC has built a solid track record of delivering medical aid to Afghanistan. I am so encouraged to see that this project is making progress. We are hopeful that it will improve the health of women and children in Afghanistan."

The goal of the project is to support Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health to effectively ensure greater and more equitable access to priority pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for all Afghans, with a specific emphasis on women and children.

The five major components of the project are: improving national coordination of pharmaceutical donations; strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Public Health to manage the logistics supply chain of quality medicines; improving the efficiency and effectiveness of national drug quality control procedures and systems of the Ministry of Public Health; enhancing opportunities for the development of a pharmaceutical manufacturing industry; and providing $25 million in donated medicines and hospital supplies.

"Everything is on track," said Kendall Nicholson, Senior Director of HPIC's Afghanistan project. "Work has begun on all aspects of the project. We have forged a close relationship with the Afghan Ministry of Public Health. We are in daily contact with them as we look at the challenges together and come up with appropriate solutions."

A first major shipment of medicines and hospital supplies is being planned for the fall of 2010. HPIC is working on assembling a shipment to match a needs list from the Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital, the 350-bed hospital that treats the sickest children in the country.

The significant medical aid component of the project is made possible thanks to the generous support of pharmaceutical and healthcare products companies in Canada.

For further information: Christina Parsons, Director, Corporate Communications, 514-822-1112, ext. 119, [email protected]