Fresenius Medical Care donates 250,000 euros to UNICEF – battle against COVID-19 pandemic shapes company’s 25th anniversary

Fresenius Medical Care, the world's leading provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases, has donated 250,000 euros to UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, to mark the company’s 25th anniversary. UNICEF will use the donation to support the COVAX vaccination initiative to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in about 140 countries. UNICEF delivers COVID-19 vaccines and other equipment around the world. With 250,000 euros UNICEF is able, for example, to protect almost 70,000 teachers or medical personnel from a COVID-19 infection. With every health worker who is protected from the virus the care of numerous children can be ensured. With every vaccinated teacher, more and more children can return to school.

Rice Powell, CEO of Fresenius Medical Care, presented a symbolic check at a virtual ceremony. “As a company in the healthcare branch, we bear a special responsibility to our patients, to our employees and as a member of our society as well,” he said. “In this anniversary year, we must do everything to defeat the global corona pandemic. We are doing this by various means. Our donation to UNICEF is targeted to protect the health of children in less developed and in developing countries. This lives up to our values and our mission for the past 25 years to maintain life and improve the quality of life.”

As the world’s largest single buyer of vaccines, UNICEF has unique experience, gained over many years, in purchasing and delivering goods to children in need. Working on behalf of nearly 100 countries, UNICEF procures more than 2 billion vaccine doses for routine vaccinations and outbreaks of diseases every year. Over the past 20 years, the organization helped provide more than 760 million children with life-saving vaccines.

Christian Schneider, Executive Director of UNICEF Germany said: “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic threatens children around the world. Their access to health facilities is compromised, many still cannot go to school. Also, violence against children is increasing. The COVAX vaccine initiative plays a decisive role in fighting the pandemic and reducing its consequences, especially in the lower-income regions of the world. The pandemic is not over for anyone until it is over for everyone. To that end, UNICEF provides its unique and longstanding expertise in vaccine procurement and logistics. But we cannot meet this challenge alone. We therefore thank Fresenius Medical Care for their generous support.”

COVAX is a global initiative in which the vaccination alliance Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) are working together to facilitate the equitable global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fresenius Medical Care has been intensely engaged on a variety of fronts. In addition to sweeping measures to protect against infection and to ensure continuous operation of our dialysis centers, the company opened its facilities in several countries to allow vaccination of patients and, in some cases, the general public.