Bupa partners Brighton TB charity to save lives in Timor-Leste

Every six months, Bupa International offers its individual customers a free gift, which they can choose to waive, and instead donate the money to Target TB. A similar initiative over the last two years has raised over £40,000 for Sightsavers, a charity that works to fund eye care projects in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

 

Bupa is working with Target TB specifically on a project in Timor-Leste, in south-east Asia, one of the world’s poorest countries. Donations will be used to reach hundreds of people living in isolated and poor villages, giving them the care and support they need to survive TB. The aim is to train local people to become volunteer health workers, who will then travel in this mountainous region, by 4×4 vehicle, motorbike, or simply by foot, bringing basic healthcare to people in real need. By the end of the year, over 70 local health workers will be in place, identifying 600 people, including 200 children, with TB symptoms. 

 

Wayne Close, Bupa International’s managing director, said: “Every year, almost 1.5 million people die needlessly, from this preventable and curable disease. We’re extremely proud to be supporting Target TB, and we hope that with the help of our customers, we can save the lives of many people in Timor-Leste.”

 

Nikki Jeffery, Director at Target TB, said “Gaining the support of Bupa and its members around the world is a fantastic boost to our cause. As well as working in Timor-Leste, it’s a real chance for us to raise awareness of the injustice that millions of people continue to suffer and die from TB in an era when we have the diagnosis and treatment available to stop this."

 

To find out more, visit the Target TB website www.targettb.org.uk 

 

– Ends –

 

Notes to Editors 

 

Embargo: October 31st 2012

 

For more information, please contact:

Jo Hudson

Bupa Corporate Affairs

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7656 2273

Email: jo***********@bu**.com 

 

Or 

 

Lynn Stevens

Fundraising manager, Target TB

Tel: +44 (0) 1273 827070

Email: ls******@ta******.uk   

 

About Bupa International

Bupa International, part of the healthcare group, Bupa, has provided international health insurance since 1971 and today is one of the leading international health insurers in the world.

 

With customers in over 190 countries, Bupa International offers a range of high quality, flexible health insurance plans for companies and individuals living or working abroad, as well as a range of travel insurance plans. 

 

Bupa International offers customers access to more than 200,000 medical providers worldwide and can settle bills directly with over 7,500 hospitals and clinics. It also has a medical advice line staffed by a team of experienced, multi-lingual advisers to offer customers support 24 hours a day, every day.  

 

Visit www.bupa-intl.com  

 

About Target TB

Target TB is a UK based charity with a vision of a world free from TB. Its mission is to stop vulnerable people in Africa and Asia dying from TB by improving their access to information, treatment, care and support. 

 

95% of all TB cases are in the developing world. Target TB always works in partnership with local organisations in Africa and Asia to have the greatest impact on the global TB epidemic. 

 

In 2011, Target TB trained over 8,000 local people as volunteer health workers, referred over 21,000 people with TB symptoms for testing, and supported over 7,000 people with TB through their treatment. The charity reached over 4 million people with preventative TB health education. 

 

Visit www.targettb.org.uk