The Coca-Cola Company and its Foundations, the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today
announced the expansion of “Project Last Mile” to include 10 African
countries over the next five years.
The Medical Stores Department (MSD) in Tanzania delivers medicines to a clinic via boat in the Rafiji Delta region of Tanzania's Pwani District. MSD is the government agency in Tanzania responsible for procuring, storing and delivering medicines throughout the country. In the rainy season, MSD uses boats to access rural clinics. Since Project Last Mile launched in 2010, MSD's distribution system has expanded to include delivery to more than 5,500 health facilities. Previously, MSD delivered to approximately 150 district warehouses, thus losing sight of the last mile. (Photo: Business Wire)
This public-private partnership - currently focused on Tanzania and
Ghana - applies Coca-Cola’s logistic, supply chain, distribution and
marketing expertise to help African governments maximize the ability to
get critical medicines and medical supplies the “last mile” to those who
need it most in remote communities in Africa.
Today’s commitment to expand includes an investment of more than $21
million USD from the partners, as well as the official addition of USAID
to this powerful coalition. The next country where Project Last Mile is
being implemented is Mozambique. The additional seven countries are in
various stages of identification and discussion with local governments.
“Africa has been a vital part of our business for more than 85 years,
and we’re committed to doing our part to help people across Africa live
healthier and more active lives,” said Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of
The Coca-Cola Company. “We know our business can only be as strong as
the communities we serve, and we’re honored to use Coca-Cola’s expertise
to improve the distribution of medicine and medical supplies. Project
Last Mile has been a great and growing success so far, and we look
forward to working with our partners to improve lives across more
communities and more countries. It’s wonderful to be able to help more
people enjoy better access to life-sustaining and life-enhancing
medicines.”
Through Project Last Mile, the government agencies managing the
procurement and efficient distribution of essential medicines and
medical supplies benefit from private sector expertise, learning how to
forecast demand for medicines and vaccines, better market the
availability of such commodities, and ensure the cold chain equipment is
maintained properly for storing certain medicines and vaccines.
“As a result of Last Mile we have been able to implement professional
practices that have improved our planning, distribution and performance
management processes. This has improved our capability to consistently
deliver critical medical supplies throughout Tanzania,” said Cosmas
Mwaifwani, The Director General of the Medical Stores Department in
Tanzania. “Since we began working with our partners in 2010, we have
been able to increase the availability of medicines in medical clinics
by 20-30 percent in some places where we have implemented the direct
distribution model. Additionally, the partners have shared distribution
tools with us to enable us to efficiently reach more than 5,500 health
facilities.”
“Project Last Mile is an excellent example of partners coming together
to develop an innovative solution that provides access to critical
medicines and medical supplies in remote African communities,” said Mark
Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria. “Private sector involvement has a vital role to play in
public health.”
“As a global community we have set ambitious goals of ending preventable
child and maternal deaths and creating an AIDS-free generation,” said
USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah. “By harnessing the power of Project
Last Mile's coalition to get life-saving medicines to the people that
need them most, we can help to bend the curve and accelerate reductions
in child and maternal deaths.”
Project Last Mile is executed in collaboration with Yale’s Global Health
Leadership Institute, Accenture Development Partnerships (ADP) and
Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF), who each bring unique
skills to make the project sustainable.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage
company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still
brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and
recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 17 billion-dollar
brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater,
Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are
the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and
juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage
distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our
beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring
commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused
on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active,
healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our
associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities
where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the
world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system
associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com,
follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo,
visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com
or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
About U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID)
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the lead U.S.
Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable
resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential.
About The Global Fund
The Global Fund is an international financing institution dedicated to
attracting and disbursing resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS,
TB and malaria. The Global Fund promotes partnerships between
governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities,
the most effective way to help reach those in need. This innovative
approach relies on country ownership and performance-based funding,
meaning that people in countries implement their own programs based on
their priorities and the Global Fund provides financing where verifiable
results are achieved.
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has supported more than
1,000 programs in more than 140 countries, providing AIDS treatment for
6.1 million people, anti-tuberculosis treatment for 11.2 million people
and 360 million insecticide-treated nets for the prevention of malaria.
The Global Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and
multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts in dealing
with the three diseases.
About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive
lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health
and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme
poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people -
especially those with the fewest resources - have access to the
opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle,
Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Dr. Susan (Sue)
Desmond-Hellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction
of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. For more information visit
our website at http://www.gatesfoundation.org/.
About The Yale Global Health Leadership
Institute
The Yale Global Health Leadership Institute develops leadership through
education and research programs that strengthen health systems and
promote health equity and quality of care.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Visuals and Broll footage to accompany this release can be downloaded
at:
Project Last Mile Infographic: www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/infographic-project-last-mile
Project Last Mile Photos:
www.coca-colacompany.com/press-center/image-library/project-last-mile-msd-delivers-medicine-via-boat
www.coca-colacompany.com/press-center/image-library/project-last-mile-mother-child-await-medical-care-in-tazania
www.coca-colacompany.com/press-center/image-library/project-last-mile-nurse-dispenses-medicine-to-a-woman-patient
www.coca-colacompany.com/press-center/image-library/project-last-mile-technicians-work-on-a-cooler-used-to-store-vaccines-at-a-clinic
Project Last Mile Broll: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/press-center/a-v-library/project-last-mile-broll
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140623005613/en/
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