VIMBY – Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson - Tackling a devastating tropical disease

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ucallpa, a city in eastern Peru located on the banks of the Ucayali River in the hot and humid Amazon rainforest, lacks paved streets or sewers in many areas. This creates the perfect conditions for parasitic diseases like STH—which proliferates in warm, moist climates where hygiene is poor—to thrive. Classroom & students at Institución Educativa Manantay Students at Institución Educativa Manantay

Kids are especially at risk of contracting STH because they spend time playing in the dirt and water, and don't always wash their hands. And the effects can be grim: In addition to stomach pain, STH infections can impair physical and cognitive development in children. In some very serious cases, intestinal worms can lead to internal blockages and even death.

Since 2006, Johnson & Johnson has been donating mebendazole, a medication made by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, to treat children in STH-endemic countries. To date, the program has donated more than 1.6 billion doses of mebendazole, enough to treat approximately 880 million children globally.