Working with CCRDF, GlaxoSmithKline donates vitamins to Ukraine's children (01/08/06)

Working with CCRDF, GlaxoSmithKline donates vitamins to Ukraine's children

KYIV - GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, has announced that it will be donating a large quantity of its Vitamin Imunovit C to over 10,000 schoolchildren in the Sviatoshyn District of Kyiv in an effort to strengthen their immune systems in anticipation of the winter flu season.

The company will be donating 10,000 packs of Imunovit C to the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund, an award-winning charity based in Kyiv and in the United States that has delivered over $53 million worth of medical aid and technology to hospitals and orphanages across Ukraine.

"We are very grateful for GSK's donation of this valuable product," said Alexander Kuzma, executive director of CCRDF. "Many children living in the poorer districts of Kyiv have been suffering from chronic illnesses and weakened immune systems, and many parents have been pleading for vitamins or nutritional supplements that can help protect their youngsters from winter colds and bronchial infections."

Imunovit C will be distributed to children between the ages of 6 and 10 in the large district of Sviatoshyn located in the western area of the Ukrainian capital. The distribution of Imunovit C began on November 15, 2005, at the Sviatoshyn District School No. 206 in the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Education, GlaxoSmithKline and the CCRDF.

Following the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, there have been widespread reports of increased immune deficiencies among children exposed to low levels of radiation. Nuclear fallout, like chemotherapy, is known to weaken the immune system by destroying so-called "Killer T-Cells" that help protect the human body from opportunistic infections.

"We are very pleased to be able to make this donation just as children are returning from their autumn vacations, and bracing themselves for the winter season," said David Pritchard, area general manger of GlaxoSmithKline in Ukraine.

Imunovit C - rutin + vitamin C - enhances the body's immunity, particularly to virus infections. Rutin helps the body to absorb and metabolize vitamin C. It also bonds with cooperation and neutralizes the oxidation of ascorbic acid, prolonging its effectiveness. Vitamin C participates in the production of antibodies, thus raising the body's immunity. It also ensures the proper structure of collagen fibers, so it reduces the risk of viruses penetrating the respiratory epithelium into the body. Rutin seals the walls of blood vessels, which reduces the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms and lowers the risk of infection. Moreover, Imunovit C, by reducing the edema of the nose and throat mucosa and running nose, relieves nagging symptoms of infection.

Imunovit C was officially registered by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health in 2004. It is recommended for the prevention of colds and for combating certain types of allergies. This over-the-counter product can be consumed by adults and children over the age of 4 with a recommended daily dosage of one or two tablets.

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