Pharmaceutical companies donate to victims of Sierra Leone mudslide
Three pharmaceutical companies last Tuesday presented assorted medicines valued at GH¢70,000 to the Sierra Leonean government in support of victims of the mudslide that claimed many lives in the West African country.
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The drugs include Metronidazole suspension, Painoff, Paracetamol syrup, oral rehydration salts (ORS) and Germ-x.
The donation was made by Dannex, Ayrton and Starwin pharmaceutical companies at the Sierra Leone High Commission in Accra.
About GH¢30,000 worth of the medications were presented directly to the High Commission while the rest were channelled through the government of Ghana for onward presentation to the Sierra Leonean government.
Rationale
The Corporate Affairs Manager of Dannex, Mr Kwasi Yirenkyi, explained that the pharmaceutical companies found it necessary to assist Sierra Leone in its tragic moment.
He said even though the gesture was their widow’s mite, the medical items would help soothe the wounds of some victims of the mudslide.
“This is a terrible disaster that has befallen a sister country. It is very unfortunate that Sierra Leone has to go through another tragedy so soon after the Ebola menace,” he stated.
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Appreciation
Receiving the medicines, the Sierra Leone High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms Umu H. Tejan-Jalloh, thanked the companies for their kind gesture.
“Ghana has always been there for us in terms of everything, including the war, the Ebola crisis and now the mudslide. We appreciate the country for its continuous support to Sierra Leone,” she said.
The High Commissioner explained that the affected area was one of the oldest settlements in Sierra Leone, dating back to 1870.
She said the incident was likely to affect the water system in the country, which could lead to the outbreak of diseases.
Ms Tejan-Jalloh described the presentation of the medicines as welcoming and gave an assurance that the items would be delivered to the victims.
An official of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Mr Michael Coffie, who received the medicines on behalf of the government for onward transfer to the government of Sierra Leone, lauded the pharmaceutical companies for their benevolence.
Background
A massive mudslide in Sierra Leone on August 14, 2017 left hundreds dead, including dozens of children.
A hillside near the capital Freetown is said to have collapsed, causing a deluge of mud to cover homes.
Many victims were asleep at the time of the incident.
About 500 people have already been buried, including 150 children.