News Desk
ABU DHABI: Etisalat today announced that it has once again teamed up with Al Ihsan Charity Association for the ‘Medicine Drop Box’ initiative to facilitate the donation of unused medicines by all its employees.
The donated medicines will go towards supporting Al Ihsan Medical Complex, one of the main projects being managed by Al Ihsan Charity Association in Ajman. This is a charitable pharmacy that donates free unused medicines to people in need.
Now on its third year, the ‘Medicine Drop Box’ initiative builds on the success of 2017 and 2018 when Etisalat collected AED163,385 worth of unused medicines from across its offices in the UAE through this worthy cause.
Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, Group Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Etisalat, said: “Etisalat is pleased to collaborate once again with Al Ihsan Charitable Society in Ajman for the third year to provide patients in need with unused medication through our ‘Medicine Drop Box’ initiative. Our CSR team has worked very closely with the charity as we realised that millions of people worldwide do not have access to basic medication and facilities.
“In the UAE, our employees would be delighted to contribute to a worthy cause especially that many of us are in possession of unused medicines that just go to waste most of the time. The unused medications can go a long way in helping poor and underprivileged patients with chronic diseases who are in need for treatment throughout the year.”
Sheikh Dr. Abdulaziz bin Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer of Al Ihsan Charity Association, said: “We at Al Ihsan value the role of Etisalat for its collaboration again in the ‘Medicine Drop Box’ initiative, which stems from its corporate social responsibility and participation in extending a helping hand to needy and underprivileged patients. Etisalat also contributes to promoting awareness of safe disposal methods, in addition to this humanitarian initiative having a positive impact on society and protecting the environment from pollution by preventing the disposal of surplus medicines.
“These medications are delivered to the Al Ihsan Medical Complex for sorting and classification by pharmacists and specialists in the compound, so they can dispense them to the needy patients who are unable to purchase the medicines, especially for chronic diseases, and secure the needs of patients and clients in the medical complex.”
Dr Hakki Ismail, Executive Director of Al Ihsan Medical Complex, praised Etisalat’s continuous efforts to launch this initiative. The complex has received a wide variety of medications, ointments, and nursing equipment collected from Etisalat’s previous initiatives, and raised awareness on the safe disposal of medicines to protect members of the society from the risk of unsafe disposal methods.
Established in 1990, Al Ihsan Charity Association in Ajman has been a non-profit organisation helping the needy all over the world. It was officially launched in its second phase in 1998 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman. The charity has medical complex to provide medical care and treatment for all society segments of the poor, needy, orphans, widows, and thousands of families.
Etisalat distributed specifically designed pouches among its employees to collect unused medicines. A large Eticare box in the shape of a medicine box has been placed in the foyer of Etisalat’s buildings across the UAE for employees to drop off their medicines from 16th to 20th February 2020. Medication must not have expired and should be valid for at least six months, and syrups and ointments donated must not be open and do not require to be refrigerated.
