Mobile Books for Nursing and Health:
Merck, Elsevier Science and ICN team up for better health
 

LONDON, 4 December 2001  ---  An innovative partnership between the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the US-based pharmaceutical company, Merck & Co., Inc. and Elsevier Science (formerly Harcourt) will to deliver state-of-the-art medical information to thousands of nurses in remote clinics and health centres in developing countries.  The nursing Mobile Library, housed in a transportable trunk resilient to moisture, insects and hard knocks, was today officially launched in London, where the first 23 units will ship from the Elsevier Science warehouse.

The mobile libraries contain more than 80 titles covering topics from disease prevention, surgery and anesthesia to how to look after a refrigerator and manage a health center store*.  The first units will be shipped to Kenya, Zimbabwe and Botswana.  Merck & Co., Inc. is funding the start-up of the project and donating multiple copies of the Merck Manual and the Merck Manual on Geriatric Care.  Elsevier Science is contributing preferred pricing for books from its list and expertise in coordinating the packing and shipping of the trunks.

"Nurses are on the front lines, delivering more than three quarters of primary health care in this region,” stated Stella Zengwa, President of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association.  “Bringing up to date knowledge to the field, will be a fabulous resource and tool for the main health workers in developing countries.”

"Merck's partnership in the Mobile Library project recognizes a shared conviction that quality health care begins with access to quality health care information.  An informed nursing profession unlocks the door to prevention and treatment for so many who have gone without," explained Gary Zelko, Director and Publisher of the Merck Publishing Group.

"What better way to reinforce the inherent value of books in our global society," said Mary Ging, Executive Vice-president of Sales and Marketing, Health Sciences Division, Elsevier Science.

Nursing organizations have also taken up support of the project with zeal.  The national nurses associations of Germany, Denmark, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Taiwan and the United Kingdom, the Nursing College of Wayne State University, and the Florence Nightingale International Foundation, among others, have committed to sponsor the cost of sending a library to a location in need.

• The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of 124 national nurses' associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide.  Operated by nurses for nurses since 1899, ICN is the international voice of nursing and works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.
  
  
• Merck & Co., Inc. is a leading research-driven pharmaceutical products and services company.  Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of innovative products to improve human and animal health.
  
  
• Elsevier Science is the world's leading scientific, technical and medical information provider and publishes over 1,600 journals, over 2000 books per year as well as secondary databases. Elsevier Science key brands include: Academic Press; Butterworth-Heinemann; Cell Press; Churchill-Livingstone; Engineering Information; Excerpta Medica; The Lancet; MD Consult; MDL; Mosby; North-Holland; Pergamon; ScienceDirect and WB Saunders. Elsevier Science is a member of the Reed Elsevier plc group (www.reedelsevier.com), a world-leading publisher and information provider. Operating in the scientific, legal and business-to-business industry sectors, Reed Elsevier provides high value and flexible information solutions to professional end users, with increasing emphasis on the Internet as a delivery method. (www.elsevier.com)