Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PRNewswire - November 14, 2003
Shell will contribute $3.4 million of the programme's costs over the next three years, with Africare contributing $1.1 million.
Shell and Africare's programme will focus on reducing child and maternal mortality from malaria and will cooperate with the Federal Government's Roll Back Malaria programme.
Shell and Africare will concentrate on the six core Niger Delta states.
The partners will begin by distributing mosquito nets impregnated with insecticides. The programme will progress to developing local capacity to manufacture and impregnate nets in the Niger Delta, creating business opportunities for small and medium scale enterprises.
Sir Philip Watts, Chairman of the Committee of Managing Directors of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies, said today: "Malaria is a devastating disease in Africa. Through this partnership, Shell and Africare will help to end this scourge, and at the same time support the development of sustainable business opportunities in the Niger Delta. Africare has considerable healthcare expertise and shares Shell's long-standing commitment to playing a key part in improving the socio-economic well-being of the people of the Niger Delta, and Nigeria as a whole."
Dr. Julius Coles, President of Africare, said: "Addressing the health needs of the people of the Niger Delta is fundamental to enabling development of the area. Africare is proud to partner with Shell in this important work."
Chris Finlayson, Chairman and Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, said: "Health care has been an important focus of Shell's social investment programmes in the Niger Delta for decades. Joining hands with Africare will help us to expand the scope of this work."
Dr. Chinwe Effiong, Africare Nigeria Country Representative, said, "Africare is pleased to be able to boost its development programmes in Nigeria through this partnership with Shell. Our programme will fit well with the government's 'roll back malaria' campaign and contribute to reducing childhood and maternal mortality."
Notes to Editors
About SPDC
Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), incorporated in 1937, is the oldest and largest producer of oil and gas in Nigeria.
SPDC operates a joint venture in which the Federal Government holds a majority share of 55 per cent through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); Shell, the operators, hold 30 per cent; Elf 10 per cent; and Agip 5 per cent.
SPDC employs over 4,000 people, 95 per cent of whom are Nigerians. It produces almost half of Nigeria's crude oil and operates more than 90 oil fields in the Niger Delta. SPDC has considerable natural gas capacity and has developed a number of projects to harness or conserve associated gas. The largest of these is the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas project at Bonny Island, in which SPDC is a major shareholder. SPDC supplies about 95% of Nigeria's commercial gas.
In 1993 Shell formed Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCO) to operate deep-water blocks offshore Nigeria in depths of between 400 and 1,400 metres, as well as exploration in onshore areas in the Gongola Basins.
Shell in Nigeria adheres to principles of sustainable development, recognizing its corporate social and environmental as well as its economic responsibilities. Shell's social investment programme in Nigeria began in the 1950s. Today Shell in Nigeria spends some $60 million each year on social investment, assisting communities to develop agriculture and social infrastructure such as community health schemes and educational facilities. Shell also supports education through scholarships and youth training schemes.
About Africare and Malaria Control
Africare, a US-based NGO established in 1970, has been working in Nigeria since 1978 and is currently operating more than 150 community-based development projects in 26 African countries. Africare has long standing experience in the design and delivery of technical, training, material and financial assistance to self-help efforts in the fields of health/HIV-AIDS, food security, natural resource management, water resource development, micro- enterprise, civil society strengthening and good governance. Health programs are important to Africare's work in virtually all countries where it operates and constitute about one-quarter of Africare's overall development assistance effort.
Africare has participated in child survival programs since 1986 and has implemented maternal and child health programs in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. Other health program experiences include: Family Planning activities in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, and South Africa; AIDS education/prevention activities in Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, and Nigeria; essential drugs management programs in the Gambia and Sierra Leone; river blindness control activities in Chad and Nigeria; malaria control in collaboration with CDC and BASICS in Benin; nutrition in most of Africare's 18 food security programs; and water/sanitation programs in more than 15 countries.
Africare is currently managing three Child Survival Programs whose location and interventions are as follows: (1) Ethiopia - Nutrition and food security promotion, malaria prevention; (2) Malawi - Reinforcement of district-level management, improved maternal health, breastfeeding promotion, diarrhea disease control (3) Uganda - Community IMCI with interventions in malaria prevention and control, ARI/Pneumonia Case Management, CDD, Nutrition Promotion, and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Africare's work in Nigeria began in 1978 with the donation of hospital equipment and supplies to a group of Nigerian physicians returning from the United States to set up a non-profit, community medical centre. Following this, Africare in 1984 entered into agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) to support the national Family Health Services Program. Since that time, with grant support from USAID and a variety of private donors, Africare's program of assistance to Nigeria has totalled more than US $17 million.
SOURCE Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies
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