2007 press releases

U.S. Embassy Facilitates Donation of Medicine to Belarus

June 22, 2007
Issued by the Embassy

On April 26, 2007, a shipment of medicine worth USD 1.84 million arrived in the Republic of Belarus as part of the active cooperation of the American charitable organization "CitiHope International," their Belarusian partner International Charitable Public Organization "Nadezhda Express," and the U.S. State Department.  On June 20, Ambassador Stewart and CitiHope International distributed part of the medical shipment to the Gomel Oncology Dispensary.  Ambassador Stewart thanked Reverend Paul Moore and CitiHope for their work to acquire these medicines, part of their long-term effort to provide relief to Belarusians, and noted the close cooperation with the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in financing the shipment.  The Ambassador also expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus for their assistance in approving and registering the shipment, and the Gomel authorities for distributing the medicines to those in need. 

CitiHope International, based in Andes, NY, has been providing assistance to the Republic of Belarus on a longterm basis since the Chernobyl disaster.  The international charitable organization “Nadezhda Express,” a permanent Belarusian partner of CitiHope International, actively participated in a medical needs assessment, coordinated the delivery, and obtained the necessary host country agreements and permission to import the medical cargo.  The Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia of the U.S. Department of State provided overall direction and management of the humanitarian assistance program in Belarus and provided the financial support to CitiHope International for executing this project, including all transportation costs.  The medicine, which is expected to treat 5,000 patients, was distributed free of charge to patients of the Gomel Regional Oncology Dispensary, Mogilev Regional Children Hospital, Maternity Homes of Minsk and Brest Regions, Republican Center of Radiological Medicine, Hospitals of Kostyukovichy, Volozhin, Logojsk, Lyuban Districts, the Research Institute of Pulmonology and Phthisiology, as well as infectious disease hospitals for children and adults in Minsk, in coordination with the Belarusian Ministry of Health. 

The current shipment consists of the broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic Rocephin, utilized via intravenous or intramuscular injections. This medicine has a long shelf-life and is considered as a first-line treatment for severe illnesses relating to the lower respiratory and urinary tracts, skin and bone, intra-abdominal infections, as well as meningitis, bacterial septicemia and other diseases.  This medicine was donated by U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer Roche Laboratories Incorporated.

Should you need any additional information on this humanitarian donation, please contact: CitiHope International, Permanent Representation office in Minsk (phone/fax: 200 08 48; e-mail: citihope@yandex.ru) or Nadezhda Express office in Minsk (phone/fax: 200 18 53, e-mail: nadezhda-exp@yandex.ru).