Autonomy, training, concrete support. In these few words are summarized the objectives of the “Madagascar Project,” an initiative of help, assistance, and health training for the Vezo Hospital in Andavadoaka, Madagascar, which today is starting its second phase of development, extending its range of action and assistance to other districts of the Malagasy territory.
Set up in 2016 by Dr. Michele Sari, a young pharmacist who had just graduated. In collaboration with Biofarma Group – the industrial reality of reference in the formulation, production, and packaging of food supplements, medical devices, probiotic-based drugs, and cosmetics exclusively for third parties – the project achieved its first significant result with the creation of the galenic laboratory, created to promote the production on site of medicines useful for the treatment of the most common diseases, caused mainly by poor hygiene and lack of clean water.
“It was the first big challenge, and we successfully overcame it, thanks to Biofarma Group’s help. As a result, the galenic laboratory is now a consolidated structure, with two local people employed full-time, who now works independently,” – says Dr. Michele Sari, project manager. – “The Vezo facility today offers daily assistance to over 125 people and can perform five surgeries of different types. In addition, thanks to the galenic production, personalized therapies are offered for the various pathologies that affect local adults and children, such as antifungal creams, tuberculosis therapies, and antibiotics”.
The center has also become a local reference point for the training of health personnel: it organizes training courses for nurses, midwives, and medical staff, figures who are also involved in emergency activities to combat child malnutrition, still very present in the African territory.
“We are now ready to start the second phase of expansion of the project. So-called “FANDAY SOA,” we will involve other districts of the area south of Toliara to make the local assistance centers autonomous and more performing as already done at the Vezo Hospital. Dr. Sari continues by offering patients 360-degree care and care service, also addressed to their families”.
The primary and substantial difference between Western medical activity is represented by total management of the person from a medical point of view and an informative and educational point of view. In addition to treatment, two types of training activities are carried out: the first is dedicated to the health personnel of the area. It focuses on the main pathologies present in these areas and on the protocols for the use of drugs. The second sees, instead, the establishment of paths aimed at children, also thanks to the collaboration with schools. Among the main topics are the knowledge and management of pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis, a widespread disease in Madagascar.
“The Madagascar project was born, developed, and keeps living to give concrete help. Both through the supply of products and by providing skills and training for medical staff, all for the benefit of local communities,” – comments Gabriella Tavasani, founder of Biofarma Spa, together with Germano Scarpa, current President of the Biofarma Group. “We immediately supported Dr. Sari’s initiative and still believe in the enormous value of this project that expresses in a real and tangible way all those values of solidarity, inclusion and sharing, education, and culture of health that are pillars of our corporate identity. Furthermore, being an active part of this project means for us to be socially responsible and contribute to improving people’s lives, with a positive and direct impact on their daily lives“.
Biofarma Group continues to support the project by sending products that can meet the health needs of the Malagasy community, such as new solid formulations for oral hygiene in the form of toothpaste and mouthwashes in chewable tablets.
Oral hygiene is still an important problem in this area of the world, and, as the World Health Organization pointed out, the high risk of oral diseases is linked to several factors. In particular, the difficulty of access to drinking water and health facilities, as well as low education and precarious living conditions.
Biofarma Group has developed this solid formulation for oral hygiene that has several advantages. First, a use that does not require water guarantees the same cleaning and hygiene performance of classic toothpaste and mouthwash solutions. Toothpaste tablets are formulated with selected cleaning agents to thoroughly clean teeth and gums, with a higher concentration of active ingredients that help neutralize plaque acids. This waterless solution is, therefore, particularly useful in contexts where water scarcity is a severe problem to salute. It is an example of how innovation and technology can put themselves at the service of care and care.
“At Biofarma, we have always been committed to creating products and solutions with a high content of innovation, using constantly evolving technologies” – Gabriella Tavasani. “However, our research and development are not only aimed at being at the forefront but also at creating the value we can generate around each product. In this sense, we look to the future and want to be increasingly sustainable and functional to the new needs of people’s care”.
