Philip Morris and Eurasia Foundation provide assistance to flood victims

Philip Morris and Eurasia Foundation provide assistance to flood victims

• 26.05.2009

May 26, 2009, Eurasia Foundation Moldova Representative Office announced today the completion of disaster relief project to the communities which suffered from the floods in July last year. Philip Morris Management Services BV provided over US$ 74 thousand to finance the project. The project consisted of two principal components: aid to the immediate Hepatitis A vaccination for children and support to the eligible NGOs in renovating small-scale infrastructure in the affected communities. Under the project, 2 000 Hepatitis A vaccines were purchased for the Health Ministry for vaccination of the children age 3-14. "The vaccines are one of the most efficient methods to fight certain diseases and, taking into consideration that hepatitis is wide-spread in our country, especially in zones affected by the floods, [solutions] such as buying vaccines for children are priorities and will have a long term effect," General Director of the Preventive Medicine Centre of Moldova Oleg Benes said. "As health threats continue to increase in these conditions, it is very important that corporations join forces and allocate resources to help children that may be affected severely," Eurasia Foundation Moldova Representative Office Country Director Sorin Mereacre said. On the competitive basis 5 NGOs obtained funding for infrastructure projects in the communities: road reconstruction in the Criva locality, and renovation works and equipment at schools in Lipcani, Drepcauti, Trifauti and water pipe repair in Gura Bicului community. Alexey Vagin of Philip Morris Management Services BV commented: "Charity is a part of our corporate culture. We believe it is our duty to help those in need, everywhere - where we do our business and our employees work." Philip Morris Management Services BV opened its representative office in Chisinau in 1996. It is an affiliate of Philip Morris International (PMI). In 2008 PMI funded disaster relief and reconstruction operations in 20 countries across four continents. Since 1993, the Eurasia Foundation has invested more than $4 million in the development of private enterprise, public policy and civil society in Moldova. The Eurasia Foundation opened the Moldova Representative Office in November 1997.