Community Matters
Accucaps Donates An Additional 8 Million Vitamin A Capsules to the Micronutrient Initiative
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In this photo left to right:
Bruno Biscaro, President Accucaps Industries Limited
Venkatesh Mannar, President Micronutrient Initiative
Denis Décarie, Director, Sales and Marketing Accucaps Industries Limited
Download : Press Release - MI Testimonial
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(Windsor, Ontario, Canada - November 2008) In celebration of Canada's support to the production of the 5 billionth vitamin A capsule, Accucaps Industries Limited announced today a donation of an additional 8 million vitamin A capsules to the Micronutrient Initiative (MI) to help in its efforts of saving the lives of millions of children around the world.
"We are committed to this phenomenal child survival effort and see this as the best way to support this Canadian-based organization", said Bruno Biscaro, President of Accucaps Industries Limited. "Being part of one of the most successful child health initiatives in the developing world and knowing that our product is helping millions of children survive is something that we, at Accucaps, are extremely proud of." The Micronutrient Initiative procures its supply of vitamin A capsules from two leading companies, one being Accucaps Industries Limited, with facilities in Windsor and Strathroy, Ontario.
Since 1997, the year of the vitamin A capsule program's inception, Accucaps has produced approximately 3.5 billion vitamin A capsules under contract for MI. Supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), MI's vitamin A program is one of Canada's most successful international development stories. MI has provided more than 75% of the developing world's need for this vitamin, and has contributed to saving the lives of more than 2 million children over the past 10 years. The vitamin A capsules manufactured in Canada are donated primarily to UNICEF, which in turn distributes them through national child health programs in more than 70 countries, worldwide.
"Accucaps has been one of MI's core partners since the beginning of the program. It took the lead in developing a capsule that could be delivered to the most remote parts of the world, helping the most vulnerable children," says Venkatesh Mannar, President of the Micronutrient Initiative. "This donation will help us reach more children than ever before."
Accucaps is a leading soft gel contract research and manufacturing organization that produces over 5 billion pharmaceutical and health care capsules each year that help people live longer and feel better. They employ over 500 people and have been instrumental to the success of the MI program. Accucaps was the first company to work with MI to develop capsules that were suitable for field use and have been partners with MI since the program's inception.
The Micronutrient Initiative is an Ottawa-based, international not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that the world's most vulnerable - especially women and children - in developing countries get the vitamins and minerals they need to survive and thrive, through supplementation and food fortification programs. Its mission is to develop, implement and monitor innovative, cost effective and sustainable solutions for hidden hunger, in partnership with others.