Eli Lilly and Company Medicines Help People in Kenya
People living with cancer, diabetes and mental health challenges in western Kenya are getting the care they need thanks to more than $4.3 million USD in medicines provided by Eli Lilly and Company and its affiliates to the Catholic Medical Mission Board.
As part of the AMPATH Kenya initiative, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, Kenya, has received more than $250 million in Lilly oncology, insulin and mental health medicines over the past two decades. These medicines are not available or in limited supply through the local healthcare system.
MTRH CEO Dr. Philip Kirwa, said, “We are grateful for the long-standing and generous support of Lilly and its affiliates. These medications provide life-saving care to people with noncommunicable diseases and supplement support from the Government of Kenya.” Dr. Kirwa visited with Lilly corporate leaders while in Indianapolis, Indiana, recently.
“Lilly’s goal is to provide improved access to quality health care for 30 million people in resource-limited settings, annually, by 2030,” said Cynthia Cardona, Vice President of Social Impact at Lilly. “Through continuous support of AMPATH initiatives, we are proud to contribute to local healthcare efforts to help more people access the treatments they need in resource-limited communities in low- and middle-income countries.”
The medicine is one component of the philanthropic support that Lilly provides AMPATH partners around the world. The company also provides its employees the opportunity to lend their expertise to community service through a program called Connecting Hearts Abroad and a group of Lilly employees from around the world are participating in a multi-year Women in Leadership program with women in Kenya.
“Lilly has been thoughtful and generous supporters of AMPATH and our partners around the world,” said Adrian Gardner, MD, MPH, director of the Indiana University Center for Global Health Equity which leads the AMPATH Consortium. “More than just providing grants and medications, they also challenge us to think about new ways to move closer to our vision of healthcare for all.”
Separately, the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation (Lilly Foundation) has also provided charitable contributions to support AMPATH. The Lilly Foundation is a separate tax-exempt organization established in 1968 and is supported by donations from Eli Lilly and Company. The Foundation supports various charitable efforts and extends Lilly's reach and impact in a charitable manner. Recent grants support NCD care programs and breast and cervical cancer screening programs.