Blog

Today we would like to give some attention to our customer International Medical Corps (IMC) by discussing a recent shipment to Afghanistan packed with IDA emergency health products.

Today, 21 November 2022, marks our official 50th anniversary. With this milestone we look back at 50 years of bridging the gap in access to medicines and medical supplies.

Today is the kick-off of the annual World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW). This week aims to create awareness around the accelerated threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and stop responding to medicines, increasing the risk of diseases and severe illnesses.

From 6-18 November, global leaders are gathering in Sharm El-Sheikh, to discuss climate change; one of the largest issues the world is currently facing. WHO foresees that between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause around 250.000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress only.

Personal contact between our wholesale team and our agents and distributors is essential to our organisation. By regular visits to these partners in countries where we operate, we maintain an open and transparent relationship where both parties can express challenges and share experiences or ideas.

The past months we have been sharing our progress when it comes to sustainability and our approach towards achieving our long-term goals. On this Sustainability Day we would like to introduce some of the members of IDA’s Sustainability Team, who are working on IDA’s progress.

On World Values Day, we take some time to think about what we value most in life. IDA Foundation’s five core values shape our unique working culture and unite our people in achieving our long-term goals of Universal Health Coverage, Strengthened Local Capacity and Sustainable Value Chains. This year’s theme is ‘Values for Community’ as values help to unite, guide, and motivate us.

We are happy to announce that IDA Foundation has received ISO 14001:2015 certification for our Environmental Management System (EMS), applying to our sales, procurement, distribution of medicinal products and medical supplies, and value-added services.

On this Dutch Diversity Day, we would like to share some of our insights when it comes to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As we set out our strategic roadmap, IDA prioritised key Sustainable Development Goals that we can make an impact on, including SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). These goals help us with shaping our policies, making sure all our employees feel safe and valued at work.

The SDG Action Days (23-27 September) are an opportunity to highlight sustainable progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which goals call for urgent action and is an opportunity to look for ways in which we can collaboratively take extra steps towards achieving the SDGs.

Through our partnership with Solvoz, we have explored ways in which the use and disposal of malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) can be made more sustainable. The outcomes of this study are now available.

Last Saturday, 17 September, was World Cleanup Day. On this day, awareness is raised on the global waste problem while uniting governments, volunteers and organisations around the world.

This day marks World Patient Safety Day, which calls for global solidarity and action to improve patient safety worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on health systems and health workers globally, both highly important for patient safety. This year’s campaign theme is ‘Medication Safety’, emphasising the need to adopt a systems approach and promote safe medication practices to prevent medication errors and to reduce medication-related harm.

After many months of preparation and excitement, last Thursday, IDA Foundation celebrated its 50th anniversary at our #BuildingHealthyFutures event with partners and colleagues from around the world.

This week is the Global week for action on non-communicable diseases (NCDs)! This campaign is an initiative of the NCD Alliance and was first organised in 2018, ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs. The campaign focuses on the biggest gaps to progress on NCDs being accountability, investment, leadership, community engagement and care.

In the lead up to IDA Foundation’s 50th anniversary this November, we have been sharing stories from our global partner network over the past months. This month, we caught up with one of IDA’s key supply chain partners, Kuehne+Nagel.

At IDA Foundation, we believe that everyone in the world has the right to access quality medication and health care. Our international and diverse teams in Amsterdam and Mumbai are working hard toward our long-term goal of Universal Health Coverage, and supporting our mission of Bridging the Gap in Access to Medicines.

On this day awareness is raised for those people helping others around the globe. For example by supporting refugees who are fleeing from political conflict or by reaching out to victims of natural disasters. Humanitarian aid workers provide life-saving assistance to suffering people all over the world. Those workers who live in conflict zones or in areas devastated by natural disasters are especially vulnerable, just like the people they serve.

IDA Foundation has recently joined the UN Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs), strengthening our commitment and progress to gender equality. The WEPs are a shared initiative of UN Global Compact (of which IDA Foundation has been a participant since 2018) and UN Women.

Today is World Hepatitis Day! On this day we raise awareness about the impact and long-term effects of viral hepatitis. Besides causing acute inflammation and illness, chronic hepatitis infection increases the risk of developing liver cancer. Cancer-causing infections, such as hepatitis and human papillomavirus (HPV) account for approximately 30% of cancer cases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Lifestyle appears to be a risk factor for developing liver cancer and as alcohol-induced hepatitis is on the rise in LMICs, it is important to emphasise a healthy and balanced lifestyle (WHO, 2022).

This year marks IDA’s 50th anniversary. Counting down to November 21 we are looking back at some of our key activities and achievements. As part of our 50 years IDA story campaign, we would like to share a brief IDA timeline with you. Watch the below video and learn about some of our milestones from the past five decades!

Last year we added heat-stable carbetocin (HSC) to our Reproductive-, Maternal-, Newborn-, and Child-Health (RMNCH) portfolio. HSC is a uterotonic, that is more stable in warm and humid climates than its alternative oxytocin and is therefore better able to prevent post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) caused by post-partum uterine atony.

The past years we have been expanding our Reproductive-, Maternal-, Newborn-, and Child-Health (RMNCH) portfolio. The latest additions to the portfolio are related to breastfeeding and are meant to support and assist mothers when their children have difficulty with latching on to the nipple or have other problems related to feeding.

This past month IDA Foundation has joined forces with i+solutions and other parties to ensure swift emergency shipments to Ukraine. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in Ukraine four months ago, we have supported several initiatives to send emergency goods and medical relief products to Ukraine and neighbouring countries.

This year marks IDA’s 50th anniversary. Counting down to November 2022 we are looking back at some of our key activities. This includes emergency response, which has been an important part of our work for more than 25 years.

On World Blood Donor Day we raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products. Worldwide, blood donors are very much needed and thus we thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their live-saving gifts of blood. In addition we support the availability of quality-assured products derived from blood.

Strengthened local capacity is one of IDA’s long-term strategic goals. This goal is worked on through our ambition to source more products from manufacturers in low- and middle-income countries, where the demand for IDA’s essential health products is greatest.

On World Bicycle Day we raise awareness of the (health) benefits of cycling. As the bicycle is a very popular mode of transport in the Netherlands, we motivate our employees to choose the bicycle for commuting. We are happy to see it pays off as many  of our staff members choose the bicycle to get to our office in Amsterdam.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of infections that are extremely rare or occur in areas of extreme poverty where people have little protection from the insects or animals that carry disease. Treatment for these conditions (e.g., worm infections) are often overlooked by commercial pharmaceutical companies and as a result, treatment availability can be limited. 

On May 23 we raise awareness of obstetric fistula and its disastrous consequences. Obstetric fistula is one of the most serious injuries that can occur during childbirth, where an opening forms between the birth canal and bladder and/or rectum. Obstetric fistula is caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without access to high-quality and timely medical treatment. It leaves women with incontinence problems, and often leads to chronic medical problems, social isolation, and depression. Obstetric fistula is a preventable complication with the right medical assistance, and it can be cured with surgery.

The past few months, the impact of both the war in Ukraine and the effects of new COVID lockdowns in China have become more apparent. In this update we give you an insight into the current situation and its effects on the global freight market.

Quality Assurance (QA) is at the core of IDA's mission and integrated into IDA's values and a key driver of ensuring we achieve our three strategic long-term goals.

We believe that everyone in the world has the right to access quality medication and health care. Our international and diverse teams in Amsterdam and Mumbai are working hard towards achieving Universal Health Coverage, which is one of our long-term goals supporting our mission of Bridging the Gap in Access to Medicines.

Every year on the 25th of May, we recognise global efforts to fight malaria. Globally, over 3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria. Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease that continues to have a devastating impact on the health and livelihood of people around the world. In 2020, there were an estimated 241 million new cases of malaria and 627.000 malaria-related deaths in 85 countries. Still, more than 2/3 of deaths were among children under the age of five living in the WHO African Region (WHO, 2022). This year’s World Malaria Day campaign is marked under the theme ‘Harness innovation to reduce malaria disease burden and save lives.’

Despite the ongoing hostilities, IDA Foundation is able to provide transport solutions into Ukraine together with its freight partners. Air & sea solutions continue to be impossible, but solutions by road are available upon request. Available solutions are dependent on the ever-changing local situation, we would advise our clients to keep in close contact with their sales representative in case of any questions.

Each year, on the 22nd of April, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day and aim to protect our planet from pollution and deforestation. The environment has a big impact on our health, that’s why IDA Foundation held their own Earth Day campaign among staff members to raise awareness about the importance of sustainability and to share habits that are environment-friendly.

The Russian invasion has had a devastating impact on Ukraine’s health infrastructure; many hospitals are destroyed or severely damaged, depriving people from the essential medical care. Aside from emergency healthcare, regular care has also come under pressure due to lack of access to and/or shortages of basic medicines and medical supplies. This poses a major threat to the continuation of care for the people in country.

On behalf of Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility (GDF), IDA Foundation (IDA), the GDF’s contracted procurement agent, invites all eligible suppliers to submit bids for ITB-IDA/GDF-MED/2022/1, for the supply of antituberculosis (TB) medicines.

Every year on the 7th of April, World Health Day, we celebrate the founding of the World Health Organization. World Health Day 2022’s theme is ‘Our planet, our health’, highlighting the impact of the environment on our health.

In today’s world, medical supplies are crucial to safe and effective prevention, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of disease or illness, as well as for patient rehabilitation and palliation. These medical supplies must be safe, of good quality, and appropriate to the settings in which they are used. Recognising the important role of medical supplies toward universal health coverage, we continue our 50th anniversary story campaign with an insight into the role of IDA’s suppliers of medical supplies and their contribution to making quality assured health care products available for all. Two of these suppliers are Poly Medicure (Polymed) and Jiangsu Allwell Medical Products (Allwell), who have been collaborating with IDA Foundation for many years.

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the world’s most common and life threatening diseases, with over 95% of TB deaths occurring in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In 2019, an estimated 10 million people were diagnosed with TB worldwide and there are estimates that indicate that one third of the world’s population is infected with TB.

Around the world, many women lack access to essential nutrition during pregnancy from their diets only. The right nutrition during pregnancy is essential as the mother’s health is better safeguarded, and her child is more likely to have a good start in life. In line with our mission, and with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, IDA Foundation supports reproductive, maternal and child health, by supplying a broad range of products related to family planning, healthy pregnancies and safe births.

On this International Women’s Day we are happy to announce a new partnership with Aakar Innovations. Aakar is an Indian social enterprise that developed Anandi pads which are the first patented and certified compostable sanitary pads available in the country.

The devastating impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has become increasingly clear, and many of our customers (NGOs / humanitarian organisations) are responding to support the people both in Ukraine and those fleeing Ukraine to the surrounding countries with essential medical goods.

All regular transport to and from Ukraine has come to a stop because of the Russian invasion into Ukraine. This means that (regular) air, sea, and road transport has come to a standstill and borders to Ukraine are mostly closed for normal traffic, with only Ukrainian drivers being allowed to cross the border.

On International Wheelchair Day wheelchair users around the world celebrate the positive impact a wheelchair has on their lives. Access to wheelchairs can give people with mobility impairments the opportunity to live healthy, productive and independent lives. IDA Foundation recognises the need for assistive technologies such as wheelchairs, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where resources are low and there is often no access to these essential health products.

To celebrate our 50th anniversary, we share monthly stories from our global stakeholder network, ranging from customers and suppliers to agents & distributors and employees. This time we would like to give you an insight in what it’s like to be part of the IDA Foundation team.

International Childhood Cancer Day is a global collaborative campaign aimed to raise awareness about childhood cancer, and to express support for children and adolescents suffering from cancer, the survivors of childhood cancer and their families. IDA Foundation wants to bridge gaps in access to essential medicines. We believe that regardless of where children live in the world, they should have access to cancer treatment, care and support.

Our 50th anniversary Stories campaign continues with an insight into the role of IDA’s (pharmaceutical) suppliers. Our quality-assured products are available to our customers thanks to the strong, long-time relationships we have with suppliers who share our commitment to quality.

Cancer treatment and palliative care remain out of reach for many people in low- and middle-income countries, while 70% of cancer-related deaths occur in these countries. IDA Foundation has been expanding and building its oncology range in the past decades, making sure to bridge the gap in access to these essential treatments.