Novartis Egypt remains committed to supporting the country’s efforts against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), through a series of activities and initiatives for healthcare professionals.
The pharmaceutical company has partnered with the Ministry of Health by providing funds for essential personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare professionals and PCR tests.
Novartis has established a fund worth EGP 6.5mn, which will be managed by the Ministry of Health to ensure that support is directed towards government healthcare professionals and facilities most in need.
“Collaborating with United Nations agencies in Egypt, Dell Technologies, and the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) for the ‘Hack the Virus Competition – Egypt 2020’ which pooled Egyptian talent, including students, start-ups and entrepreneurs, we asked them to use emerging technologies to help contain the COVID-19 crisis in Egypt,” said Georg Schroeckenfuchs, Novartis MEA Cluster Head and Vice President Egypt.
“This was with the hope of finding tailored solutions to the specific challenges society currently faces,” he added.
The four winners will work closely with and receive mentorship from Novartis, Dell, and ITIDA. The three entities will help execute winning ideas in the real world, ensuring they have the greatest chance of success, Schroeckenfuchs said.
In addition to locally tailored support, Novartis has announced the creation of its global Novartis COVID-19 Response Fund, worth $40 m.
The fund provides grants to support public health initiatives designed to help communities manage challenges posed by the pandemic.
Clinical trials of Novartis medicines, that show promise in combating the coronavirus, are already taking place. The company is also rapidly evaluating other existing products to see if any could potentially be utilised beyond current indications, in response to the pandemic.
