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Med Tech Industry Continues Philanthropic Efforts to China and Myanmar Following Disasters
July 17, 2008
From the first surges of human suffering in China’s earthquake and Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar in May, the medical technology industry has continued to provide compassionate care for survivors.
Information from reporting AdvaMed member companies demonstrate that the industry has provided more than $15 million (U.S.) monetary contributions and product donations to meet a wide variety of needs. Companies have provided medical aid in the form of hospital beds, purified water, lighting, vitamins and antibiotics, among other products.
Among the efforts that AdvaMed members took:
3M Worldwide contributed $1.6 million in cash, employee contributions and donations products such as respirators, bandages and wound dressing and drinking water systems.
Abbott and its philanthropic foundation Abbott Fund contributed $1 million in funds and product donations including antibiotics, rehydration solutions and adult nutritional products. Employees of Abbott China donated part of their paychecks to support the Red Cross Society of China. Additional information about Abbott's giving.
Baxter donated continuous renal replacement therapy machines and solutions, working with Chinese authorities to set up machines within three days following the earthquake. Baxter China donated $630,000 in intravenous solutions and related products to hospitals and the Ministry of Health. An additional $350,000 in contributions came from the Baxter Fund.
BD, through its Social Investing Department, committed $175,000 jointly in disaster relief for China and Myanmar through the American Red Cross, AmeriCares, Heart-to-Heart International, Save the Children and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. BD China contributed $150,000 in products and BD employees in China and South Korea raised $72,500 for the Red Cross Society of China. BD’s U.S. employees have raised $18,000, which will be matched by the company.
Gambro has donated $1 million in relief aid. The company sent its trainers and disaster support personnel to the region, and established a one-to-one matching program that has raised more than $43,000.
GE Corporation donated equipment valued at more than $2 million, and the GE Foundation has contributed $1.4 million in cash to the Red Cross Society of China. The company has given extensively in medical product donations including patient monitors, portable black and white ultrasound units, anesthesia machine, portable ventilators and mobile X-ray units. Other GE divisions donated flood lighting fixtures and portable water treatment units.
Johnson & Johnson and its affiliated companies in China donated $2.2 million in cash, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, consumer health care products, posters and training materials. The company is matching employee donations and to date employee contributions have reached more than $279,650.
Medtronic Foundation has given $500,000 to the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Society for global disaster relief (over five years), and an additional $100,000 grant to rebuild hospitals and medical facilities in China. Its employees have given $170,000 in donations, which is being matched by the company. Moreover, Medtronic Greater China donated $248,228 in hospital product donations as well as $189,822 in employee donations which are being matched by the company. Medtronic also permitted employee to take up to 40 hours in paid leave to volunteer for disaster recovery services.
Philips committed $292,000 in cash donations to earthquake relief and donated patient monitors, defibrillators and other medical systems reaching a total value of $425,370 to hospitals in affected areas. The company set up a 24-hour on-call service support team to assist relief workers. Additionally, Philips China employees have given more than $346,000. Its lighting divisions offered to provide flashlights and other lighting equipment valued at $76,000. The company is working on a long-term sustainability project to support reconstruction in the region.
Medical technology philanthropy remains a hallmark of AdvaMed and its member companies. The industry provides millions of dollars annually to local, regional, national and international relief. This giving has increased during recent catastrophes including Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in 2005, and the South Asian tsumani in December 2004.
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