Lagos — Pfizer Inc. a world class pharmaceutical company recently broke new grounds in the fight against HIV/AIDS when it recorded the 100th participant in its Global Health Fellows Programme.

The programme, a corporate social responsibility initiative of Pfizer was meant to build capacity in health care delivery particularly in the area of the raging battle against HIV/AIDS in developing countries.

First announed at the International AIDS conference in Barcelona, Spain in 2002, the Global Health Fellows programme made Pfizer employees available for up to 6 months each year to support the work of leading non-governmental organisations (NGOs) fighting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in developing countries.

Such fellows, whose technical skills and expertise were deployed ranged from physicians, nurses, epidemiologists, laboratory technicians, health educators, business consultants, and IT specialists are largely drawn from the United States, Europe and Latin America, Australia and Africa.

Up to date, Pfizer personnel have been sent to work with NGOs and other organisations on health programmes in 29 countries across Africa, Asia and South America.

Alison Hager, who emerged the Pfizer's 100th Global Health Fellow recently was assigned to work in the Ministry of Health of Rwanda in partnership with Columbia University's Earth Institute to Improve efficiency in the nation's public health programmes.

"Working with the Earth Institute and the Ministry of Health, I hope to help Rwandans develop and implement solutions that will improve day-to-day healthcare," said Hager.

Columbia University is one of the latest non-profit organisation to partner with Pfizer in the Global Health Fellows Programme. Water Aid whose work is indirectly related to treating public health issues have also benefited from the programme.

Others are Doctors of the World, The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, American Jewish World Service, African Medical and Research Foundation, Academic Alliance for AIDS Care and Prevention in Africa and Health Volunteers Overseas.

Under the initiative, Pfizer provides transportation, lodging and other expenses for each Fellow, while their employment with Pfizer and their position preserved for the duration of their fellowship.

Those who undertake this "tour of duty" were selected in part for their desire to make a difference in the world, their strengths in teaching and training, and their willingness to see their work carried out by local teams.

The Global Health Fellows programme matches Pfizer employee talent with organisations in the developing world to build the local capacity of health institutions to improve health care delivery, according to Ngozi Edozien Managing Director Nigeria and Regional Director East, East Central and Anglo-Lusophone West Africa, Pfizer Inc.