President Akufo-Addo receiving a citation from Albert Bourla. Pix By Gifty Lawson
Global pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, has announced its intentions to support the Ghanaian health sector with a whopping $5 million over the next three years.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pfizer, Albert Bourla made the announcement at a meeting with President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House Tuesday evening.
“I was planning to make this announcement to you, but I think now is the time. The Pfizer Foundation, which is the philanthropic institution that is sponsored by Pfizer, has decided to give a substantial amount of money to Ghana,” he said.
“The reason is that we care a lot about the dollars that we donate, but we try to give them to places that we believe can use them and use them wisely. We feel very comfortable doing this donation in Ghana. We will donate in a programme over 3 years, 5 million dollars to Ghana,” he said.
They have earmarked the amount for breast cancer initiatives since breast cancer is considered one of the leading causes of death in Ghana.
“I am very confident that this amount of money will be deployed through an NGO that will be working throughout the country, and will make a difference in the lives of breast cancer patients,” the Pfizer CEO added.
President Akufo-Addo expressed appreciation to the Pfizer CEO and his delegation for their involvement in the country’s health sector.
For him, it was a matter of great encouragement to Ghana to have a world-class organisation such as Pfizer partnering with local health officials to find lasting solutions to the nation’s health challenges.
“We have to thank you for the offer you have made of this large sum of money that you intend to consign to us. We are grateful for it and equally grateful for the smaller ones as well,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
The Pfizer CEO, on behalf of the board of directors of Pfizer, presented a plaque to President Akufo-Addo “in recognition of his unwavering leadership and commitment to the health and well-being of the Ghanaian people and the African continent.”
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent