By Ben Oduor
Abbott, a leading global healthcare company, on Thursday, announced that it will extend its partnership with the First Lady of Kenya’s Beyond Zero campaign by becoming the gold sponsor of the fourth Beyond Zero Half Marathon.
The First Lady of Kenya, H.E Margaret Kenyatta, has pledged to achieve a reduction in the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV to below 5 per cent by 2020. Abbott continues to play a part in such initiatives.
The company was the inaugural sponsor of the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2015, and continues to be the title sponsor. The series consists of the six largest and most well-known marathons in the world: Tokyo, BAA Boston, Virgin Money London, BMW Berlin, Bank of America Chicago and TCS New York City marathons.
“At Abbott, we believe in helping people live their best possible life through the power of health so that people in all places, aspects and stages of life can achieve more and live not just longer but better,” said Khululiwe Mabaso, Director, Government Affairs, Africa.
“We’re pleased to partner with the First Lady’s Beyond Zero Half Marathon, because we applaud her leadership in scaling up the fight to reduce infant mortality in Kenya.
Last year, Abbott partnered with the Beyond Zero Medical Safari, donating a cutting-edge m-Pima(TM) Analyzer device, which allows medical professionals to rapidly diagnose HIV in infants and help them to get access to crucial early treatment with antiretroviral.
The m-Pima(TM) Analyzer has been placed in the Antenatal Clinical Laboratory at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu County; part of the company’s continued support for the First Lady’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality and support women’s health and wellbeing.