Abbott increases Haiti aid to $2.5m

Abbott has announced that it will increase the amount of money it donates to the Haiti earthquake aid operations to $2.5 million (1.53 million pounds).

The company will provide the funds in the form of grant funding and donations of critical pharmaceutical and nutritional products to humanitarian bodies.

It originally pledged to put forth $1 million last week.

Initial supplies of Abbott pharmaceutical and nutritional products have already been distributed in Haiti as a result of the company’s prior work with Direct Relief International to provide essential healthcare in the event of a natural disaster.

Catherine Babington, president of the Abbott Fund, commented: “Building on our existing partnerships with humanitarian organisations in Haiti, we are providing funding and product donations to help address the immense and immediate health needs.”

In other Abbott news, last week the company revealed that its ARCHITECT human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) test received the CE mark in Europe.