Randox helping to transform healthcare in Cameroon following partnership with Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Foundation
Randox helping to transform healthcare in Cameroon following partnership with Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Foundation (LUKMEF)
Treating general health conditions and patients with HIV/AIDs in rural Cameroon is being transformed thanks to an initiative and partnership between global diagnostics company Randox and the not-for-profit organization LUKMEF Cameroon.
Until now thousands of people living in the remote village of Awing, in the Santa District, in the North West region of Cameroon, struggled to pay the costs of travel to the North capital city of Bamenda, in order to be tested for complications associated with conditions like HIV/AIDs. Many never made the journey at all, and many died as a result. Now, following the purchase of the state-of-the-art clinical chemical analyser ‘RX Monza’ has been installed in The Awing Health Centre and testing is being offered at minimal cost for the community.The purchase of the Rx Monza was fully financed by the subsidiary office – LUKMEF Switzerland.
The RX Monza is part of the RX Series which has been developed by Randox to meet the growing needs of clinical laboratory testing. This analyser will open exciting opportunities for both routine and specialised testing including coagulation testing worldwide.
LUKMEF, a non-governmental organisation based in the South West of Cameroon, delivered the RX Monza to the hospital in Awing on the 13th September. LUKMEF was founded in 1999 and has completed dozens of projects in peace building, democracy, education and human rights, helping thousands of Cameroonians live healthier and more powerful lives.
Sharon Martin, LUKMEF Board Member and Director of Youth Programmes, said,
LUKMEF aims to empower communities by enabling them to take responsibility for themselves but poverty has been a major obstacle to that when it comes to accessing healthcare. The cost for transportation to Bamenda, coupled with the cost of testing for complications associated with these life-threatening viruses – even at 1 or 2 GBP – was too high for many and the natural consequence was that many never got the help they needed. By providing very low cost testing for people by installing the RX Monza in the Awing Health Centre, we will ensure that people no longer experience unnecessary suffering caused by poverty.
Collaborating with Randox has been fantastic and we are looking forward to expanding this partnership for future initiatives.
Co-founder of LUKMEF, Mr. Tanyi Christian said,
This is a development in healthcare our communities could have only dreamed of until now. There are over three million people living in this region. This piece of equipment will enable the hospital lab to conduct low cost biochemical testing for patients from more than five villages.
Business Development Manager Colin Palmer for Central Europe, EMA and Sub-Saharan Africa said,
It is fantastic for everyone here at Randox to see real life examples of how we are achieving our goal of revolutionising healthcare worldwide. The RX Monza is a semi-automated chemistry analyser that allows the user increased-testing speed in comparison to manual testing, meaning more samples can be run in less time and at a much cheaper cost. This is going to have a significant impact on the local community and nearby villages who couldn’t afford to pay for transport to Bamenda, the region’s capital. The RX Monza delivers accurate results that Awing hospital can depend on and will help save thousands of lives.
Randox is dedicated to creating innovative high quality products aimed at improving and enhancing diagnostics and people’s wellbeing across the globe. Over 100,000 end users are using Randox products and every second of every day 80 Randox tests are used across the world.
For further information please contact our Randox Comms Team on 028 9442 2413 or email randoxpr@randox.com
Randox announces princely partnership with leading youth charity
Global biotechnology firm Randox has today announced the Prince’s Trust as its official corporate charity. Dr Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of the medical diagnostics company, has supported the youth charity in a personal capacity for more than 30 years, but now the Prince’s Trust will be at the heart of Randox’s corporate fundraising efforts.
The partnership was launched at the Randox Point-to-Point in Crumlin (Sat 25th April), where a number of young entrepreneurs supported by the charity, marketed their crafts to the thousands of race-goers. Stalls included commercial courier company Put it on a Pallet, Nicola Drennan Ceramics aptly made with horse hair designs! Artist, Miguel Martin, Eat Me Drink Me artisan teas and Dolled up Decor up-cycled furniture.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of The Prince’s Trust, Sir Nigel Hamilton said:
“Randox is a complete inspiration to all aspiring young entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland and we at The Prince’s Trust were delighted to have five of our young business people represented at the point-to-point event. It is so encouraging to have companies like Randox who make such a significant contribution to the local economy, supporting the fledgling businesses that have been established through The Trust’s Enterprise programme.”
In addition to showcasing Prince’s Trust supported businesses, Randox guests at the event donated more than £1,200, this was topped off by Randox staff handing over a cheque for £3,500 from fundraising events throughout the year, including cake sales and sports challenges.
Describing the partnership as ‘a natural fit’, Dr Peter FitzGerald said:
“We are pleased to have selected the Prince’s Trust as our official corporate charity. Its values of innovation, enterprise and education mirror our own. Within Randox we are committed to finding and nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers and our alliance with the Prince’s Trust allows us to help support the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs.”
