USAID Funding Sought to Purchase 5,000 NeedleZap Units in Uganda to Help Fight Spread of HIV and Hepatitis

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- E Med Future, Inc. announced today that their distribution partners in Uganda, Global Marketing Group and Lily Pharmacy Ltd., have requested funding for 5,000 NeedleZap units from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Uganda, said Robert J. Ochsendorf, president.

 USAID recently announced the availability of $6 million in funds to enhance medical injection safety programs to reduce the transmission of HIV in developing countries, sometimes caused by the use of unsafe and unnecessary medical injections.  Six African countries, including Uganda, were selected to receive funding as part of the $15 billion Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.  According to the press statement issued by USAID, the World Health Organization estimates that more than 16 billion medical injections are administered in developing countries every year, however, many are given in an unsafe manner exposing patients and medical workers to avoidable health risks such as HIV.

NeedleZap units are designed to destroy the sharp end of hypodermic needles at the point of procedure and are currently being used in 22 medical facilities throughout Uganda.  However, these medical facilities are finding it difficult to allocate the funds necessary to purchase larger quantities of the product.

 Since there is no proper disposal of needles, the widespread introduction of an inexpensive safety device like NeedleZap would be extremely important in Uganda as the country continues to combat the spread of HIV and other diseases, said A.S.B. Lubega, managing director of Lily Pharmacy, the company submitting the grant request to USAID Uganda.  In fact, the United Nations reported this week that although new HIV infections globally hit a record high in 2003, Uganda was listed as one of the few countries where new HIV infections actually decreased.

 Lubega believes the 5,000 NeedleZap units, if awarded by USAID, could properly cover the countrys two major hospitals, 10 regional referral hospitals, 10 missionary hospitals and 20 district hospitals.  However, additional NeedleZap units are needed to reach all other Ugandan health centers, maternity centers and private hospitals and clinics.

 Source: E Med Future, Inc.