Abbott pledges support for Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan

Abbott has announced that it is contributing to the relief efforts in the Philippines after the region was recently devastated by the effects of Typhoon Haiyan.

The company and its philanthropic foundation the Abbott Fund are providing $450,000 (277,900 pounds) in grants and healthcare products to provide immediate relief to those affected by the natural disaster.

A total of $350,000 will be donated by the Abbott Fund to CARE, Direct Relief and the Philippine Red Cross through the American Red Cross, while Abbott will offer antibiotics, oral rehydration solutions and nutritional to Direct Relief and AmeriCares.

Abbott has a long history of providing humanitarian relief around the world, having recently contributed to similar initiatives in Japan and Vietnam.

Katherine Pickus, vice-president of the Abbott Fund, said: "Abbott and the Abbott Fund are providing this support to help advance immediate relief efforts and address the growing health crisis among those impacted by the storm."

This comes after Abbott and the Abbott Fund allied with Partners In Health to open a new nutrition production facility in the Central Plateau in Haiti earlier this month.