10.02.2008 - 09:00am ET

(CSRwire) WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. - October 2, 2008 - Merck & Co., Inc., today announced that it has awarded five grants totaling $250,000 to AmeriCares, Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), Direct Relief International, IMA World Health and MAP International in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Merck Medical Outreach Program (MMOP).

The MMOP was established in 1958 and is managed by Merck's Office of Corporate Responsibility. This program enables Merck to donate critical pharmaceuticals and vaccines to a limited number of qualified, U.S.-based, private voluntary organizations (PVOs) for use in their on-going humanitarian programs in the developing world and in support of major disaster relief efforts within the United States and abroad. The organizations receiving the 50th anniversary grants are participants in the MMOP. Each PVO received $50,000 in grant funding.

Four of the grants are intended to enhance the operational capacity of the PVO partners and the fifth grant will strengthen the health care capacity in Bolivia.

"Operational efficiency and effectiveness are essential components to delivering humanitarian aid in the developing world and in disaster situations," said Brenda Colatrella, executive director of Global Health Partnerships in Merck's Office of Corporate Responsibility. "These grants will help our PVO partners enhance and maintain their existing high standards in health care delivery. In addition, Merck recognizes the need for enhanced health care capacity at the local level. Our grant to MAP International for their clinic in Chilimarca, Bolivia, will help to expand access to health care for those living in that community."

"I have valued greatly over many years the steadfastness of Merck in working with IMA World Health to strengthen the capacity of local partners in sustaining health interventions, such as control of river blindness," said Paul Derstine, president, IMA World Health. "This grant is enabling IMA to assist additional local partners to realize this shared commitment."

Following are details on the specific grant objectives:


AmeriCares
AmeriCares will use their grant from Merck to install a warehouse temperature monitoring and alert system in their Stamford, Conn. facility. This system will further safeguard donated medicines and supplies while increasing operational efficiency. Currently, temperature monitoring is a manual procedure conducted by the AmeriCares staff. In addition, AmeriCares estimates that this new system will result in a 20 percent energy-saving efficiency in the future operation of the warehouse.

The Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB)
CMMB will use their grant from Merck to purchase new handheld bar code scanners for their warehouse operations. The scanners are high-end handheld computers that will allow CMMB's warehouse staff to collect, manage and communicate inventory data more efficiently. CMMB anticipates increased growth in their humanitarian shipments in the next five years and newer, more efficient equipment will help CMMB meet this demand.

Direct Relief International
Direct Relief International will use their grant from Merck to support their Cold Chain Infrastructure Initiative. Direct Relief is working to build their capacity to handle vaccines and other products requiring cold chain handling, which involves temperature maintenance throughout storage, shipment and distribution. The funding will enable Direct Relief to deliver these products to logistically challenging locations. With the funds, Direct Relief will purchase equipment, train staff in cold chain handling procedures, develop protocols and policies for handing cold chain products and conduct project evaluation.

IMA World Health
IMA World Health will use their grant from Merck to provide technical assistance to faith-based organizations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, East Africa and Haiti to build their capacity in successful proposal writing, grant management and program implementation. IMA will also provide technical assistance to these organizations to design and implement strong management systems, particularly accounting and financial management systems, thereby increasing capacity to handle the additional complexity of large donor-driven grants.

MAP International
MAP International will use their grant from Merck to support the activities of the Community Health Clinic in Chilimarca, Bolivia in 2009. This primary health clinic, in addition to seeing patients, will train 150 community health promoters in the most common diseases in the community, diagnoses and treatments, as well as wound treatment, maternity care, safe delivery, post-natal care and other health-related issues. Bolivia has one of the highest percentages of people living under the poverty line in Latin America. And currently, there are no government health services in Chilimarca and neighboring communities.

About Merck and The Merck Medical Outreach Program
Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The company is widely recognized for its extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

Now in its 50th year, the Merck Medical Outreach Program (MMOP) is the primary mechanism through which Merck donates pharmaceuticals and vaccines for humanitarian assistance in the developing world and in support of disaster relief and emergency situations worldwide. The MMOP is one of the ways Merck helps to expand access to medicines and vaccines, especially in the developing world. For more information, visit www.merck.com/mmop.

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