Medicines Handed Over To Sri Lankan Community

MEDIA ADVISORY – PHARMACY GUILD OF NEW ZEALAND

14 January 2005

FIRST SHIPMENT OF DONATED MEDICINES HANDED OVER TO SRI LANKAN COMMUNITY TODAY

The first shipment of medicines donated by community pharmacists will be handed over to representatives of the New Zealand Sri Lankan community in Auckland today.

Many New Zealanders with family links to the areas affected by the tsunamis sought support from the public. Pharmacists were asked to help by representatives of the Sri Lankan community and agreed to donate some high priority medicines to be taken to that country.

The first consignment of two pallets of medicines contains over 400,000 doses of medicine and represents enough medicine to treat over 12,000 people. They comprise high priority anti biotic medicines to treat infectious conditions as well as pain killers and medicines to assist in recovery from the debilitating effects of diarrhoea. The medicines will be going to Sri Lanka over the weekend as the first contribution from community pharmacists with more to follow shortly.

In total community pharmacies around New Zealand have so far donated nearly $80,000 to the disaster relief efforts.

The handover of the first consignment will be at 200pm today at;

54 Carbine Road
Mt Wellington
Auckland

Personnel at the handover will include;

Dr Upali Manukulasuriya and the President of the Auckland Sri Lankan community
organisation. Lyn Goddard, an Auckland pharmacist with Sri Lankan staff,
will make the handover on behalf of Guild members around the country.

ENDS

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