As provided for by a partnership agreement signed in April 2007, Merck and the World Health Organization WHO are taking concerted action to fight the tropical disease schistosomiasis. Over the next ten years, Merck is providing free of charge 200 million tablets of Cesol® 600 (active ingredient praziquantel) to fight the debilitating infectious disease. The estimated total value of the tablets is approximately US$ 80 million. Schistosomiasis is one of the biggest health risks to African children after malaria. The Merck-WHO partnership agreement will make it possible to treat 27 million African school children in the next ten years.
