At President Bill Clinton’s Conference Bracco Announces Initiative to Save Children in China
New York, September 27th , 2007 — Today, at the Clinton Global Initiative, was recognized the Bracco/Children’s HeartLink Initiative and announced the commitment’s estimated total value of $1,000,000. Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Bracco AMT’s Chairman and CEO, received the recognition on behalf of the company and said that the partnership would provide life-saving training, equipment and direct patient funding to Jilin Heart Hospital, in Changchun City, Jilin Province, China — reaching over 12,000 children in the next 3 years.
“The commitment from Bracco combined with medical volunteers from NY Presbyterian Hospital and others will help build a sustainable cardiac care program for children in Jilin Province, one of the poorest regions in China. This Initiative launched with President Clinton’s encouragement reflects Bracco’s spirit and corporate culture” Renoldi Bracco said.
The project will involve the training of over 150 medical personnel at the Jilin Hospital in China. The Bracco/Children’s HeartLink Initiative will reach an estimated 4,000 children a year with emphasis on improving the quality of care. All assistance, whether in the diagnosis and treatment of patients or improvement of support services, is carried out with the intent of transferring skills while participating in the treatment of children.
“Congenital heart disease is the world’s most common birth defect, affecting one in every 100 children. Without treatment, one third of these children die before their first birthday. In China, congenital heart disease is the primary cause of death of infants. This Initiative has the ability to impact thousands of lives” Elizabeth Bickel, President of Children’s HeartLink, added.
About Bracco
Founded in 1927, the Bracco Group is today a worldwide integrated Healthcare Group with annual turnover of about 900 million Euro — around 60% of which is from foreign sales and is one of the world leading companies in the imaging agent business through Bracco Imaging spa. Bracco SpA, holding company of the Bracco Group, also markets ethical and OTC pharmaceutical products and healthcare services in Italy, as well as Advanced Medical Technology systems on a world wide basis through the Bracco AMT companies, ACIST Medical Systems, based in Minneapolis, and Volume Interactions of Singapore. Bracco is present in approximately 80 countries both directly and through joint-ventures or affiliates, and currently employs more than 2,300 people worldwide, over 300 of which are dedicated to R&D, Medical and Regulatory Affairs.
About Children HeartLink
Children’s HeartLink (CHL) is an international medical non profit, building sustainable programs to prevent, treat and cure heart disease among needy children in developing countries by mobilizing extraordinary hearts, minds and resources around the world. Over the past 38 years, Children’s Heart Link has worked in more than 40 countries providing $58 million of support.
