From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)

MEDIA ADVISORY

PRESS CONFERENCE: Fight against Schistosomiasis in Kenya

WHY: The tropical worm disease schistosomiasis is the most devastating parasitic disease in Africa after malaria. It is estimated that more than 200 million people are infected and that around 200,000 die from it each year. Millions of Kenyans also suffer from this insidious disease. In cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), the German pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company Merck has been fighting schistosomiasis in Africa since 2007. This November Merck is going to symbolically donate the 100 millionth praziquantel tablet to its partner WHO in Nairobi.

WHEN: Thursday, November 29, 3.30 p.m.

WHERE: Ministry Of Public Health And Sanitation,
Afya House,
Cathedral Road,
P.O. Box 30016–00100,
Nairobi, Kenya

WHO: Dr. Mark Bor, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation

Dr. Custodia Mandlhate, WHO Representative in Kenya

Dr. Stefan Oschmann, Merck Executive Board Member and CEO Merck Serono

Contact: Nancy Karanja

Tel.: +254 20 3861049/ 3861051/ 2388420/1 Mob.: +254 731 462 604
or nkaranja@apn.co.ke

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Merck KGaA.