Merck has donated the 1.5 billionth tablet of praziquantel in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO). This medication is the standard of care for the treatment of schistosomiasis – one of the most common and devastating parasitic diseases in tropical countries. Children in poor and rural communities are most severely affected. Since 2007, Merck has enabled more than 600 million schoolchildren to be treated in 47 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere.

“The donation of the 1.5 billionth praziquantel tablet marks an important milestone in our joint effort to eliminate schistosomiasis. To date, hundreds of millions of children, who otherwise would have been left untreated, have been able to receive treatment for this devastating disease,” said Peter Guenter, Member of the Executive Board of Merck and CEO Healthcare. “As clear proof of the significant impact of our donation program, a study published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal shows that the prevalence of schistosomiasis among school-aged children in sub-Saharan Africa has been reduced by almost 60% over the past 20 years. I am very proud of our company’s contribution to the fight against schistosomiasis and we will remain fully committed to continue our efforts until the disease is eliminated once and for all.”

Merck’s Schistosomiasis Elimination Program is an important part of the company’s goal to improve quality of life, healthy living and well-being for an increasing number of people in the world. The 1.5 billionth tablet was part of a delivery of almost 24 million tablets to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Since 2013, the central African country has received more than 138 million tablets.