SC Johnson Improves Access to Health Care Through Partnership with Rwanda Ministry of Health
Unprecedented partnership will improve public health services, drive malaria education
RACINE, Wis., July 11, 2018 /3BL Media/ – For millions of people in east central Africa, the risk of malaria infection is an everyday concern. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), up to 90 percent of Rwandans are at risk for malaria.[1] To help address this risk and other public health issues, SC Johnson today announced a partnership with the Rwanda Ministry of Health and the Society for Family Health to co-develop a national strategy to increase access to health care through the construction of 10 new health posts across the country.
"With this public-private partnership, we can help the Rwanda Ministry of Health improve access to health care and tackle some of the existing health challenges, including malaria, to better serve local communities,” said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. “SC Johnson is a leader in insect research and we are dedicated to helping protect the wellness of people particularly from insect-borne disease.”
A four-year plan will help to address several public health issues in Rwanda, including malaria, HIV/AIDS, family planning, access to clean water and nutrition. In relation to malaria, this initiative will include the development of country-wide national standards to address mosquito-borne diseases and set local safety and efficacy standards for pest products. The national standards will focus on the distribution and use of mosquito spatial and personal insect repellent products, as well as the encouragement of positive behavioral changes to reduce the potential risk of mosquito-borne disease.
Overall, the collaboration will bring together private, academic and health care leaders with the public to build a stronger, more connected health system. The installation of the health posts will significantly reduce the amount of travel time from an estimated 3 hours to about 30 minutes of walking for the average Rwandan in search of health care. The health posts and consumer education programming will be managed by the Rwandan Ministry of Health and the Society for Family Health in collaboration with SC Johnson.
“The ten health posts will help us to bring much-needed health care closer to the most vulnerable communities,” said Dr. Diane Gashumba, Rwanda Minister of Health. “This will help to improve family health overall and immediately address health care challenges, like malaria, across the country.”
Enduring Commitment to Communities at the Base of the Pyramid
For more than two decades, SC Johnson has provided sustainable business solutions to raise the standard of living and provide opportunities for a better quality of life for the 4 billion people who occupy the base of the world’s economic pyramid. This includes contributions and services dedicated to preventing insect-borne diseases. With wider distribution of its leading pest control products in rural communities, SC Johnson aims to reduce the percentage of malaria cases, as studies have shown that the use of spatial repellents can reduce the frequency of biting and may reduce new malaria occurrences.
In addition, SC Johnson has contributed to and led various initiatives to help these families gain access to SC Johnson products and to opportunities for a better quality of life including:
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Teaming up with The Coca-Cola Co., Solarkiosk and Society for Family Health Rwanda in 2017 as a part of the EKOCENTER program. This program provides safe drinking water, sanitation, solar energy and wireless communication to participants. The centers are modular retail experiences, run by women operators, that provide commerce of basic goods including OFF!® mosquito repellent lotion, Baygon® mosquito coils and KIWI® shoe polish. Recently, additional EKOCENTERS have opened in Vietnam.
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Partnering with Cornell University’s Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise in 2012 to launch the WOW™ club pilot in Ghana to explore new ways to help families reduce the transmission of malaria with a business model that brings repellents and insecticides to rural families. The resulting efforts have helped low-income homemakers care for their homes and families.
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Administered a study in 2010 with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to determine the effects of spatial repellents in fighting malaria-infected mosquitoes in Sumba, Indonesia.
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Sponsored a three-year research program beginning in 2002 with Healthy Children, Healthy Homes™ in South Africa that reached more than 1 million people with malaria prevention information.
For more information about SC Johnson and its social corporate responsibility efforts, visit the company on Facebook, Twitter or at www.scjohnson.com.
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Contact:
SC Johnson Global Public Affairs
262-260-2440
About SC Johnson
SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, TANA®, BAMA®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR MUSCLE® and RIDSECT®. The 132-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com
