Lek continues annual charity campaign with donation of computers in Notranjska

Lek has exchanged its entire information system this year in order to modernize it and harmonize it with the information system of the Novartis Business Group. By the end of 2004 Lek will have replaced over 1000 personal computers (desktops and notebooks). All of these computers are still in good condition and it would be unreasonable to write them off. Therefore Lek decided to donate them to interested parties, thereby assisting needy kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools, faculties, humanitarian organizations (maternity wards, safe houses, security and training institutions) and health-care institutions whose activities contribute to improving the quality of life.

As in previous years, Lek decided to perform its charity campaign throughout Slovenia. This week computers were donated in the Notranjska region. The computers were donated to the Tabor Elementary School in Logatec, the Municipal Committee of the Red Cross and the Friends of Youth Association of Ilirska Bistrica, the Bratov Vodopivec Elementary School in Šmihel, the Tone Šraj Elementary School in Nova vas, and Talita kum, an institute which provides assistance to mothers and senior citizens.

On receiving the computers, Majda Vidmar, the head of the Talita kum charity institute, said: “These days it is difficult to imagine working without suitable computer equipment, and our institute urgently needed computers in order to improve our living and working conditions. Since we are involved with humanitarian activities, both in terms of our work and financing, those activities or projects which improve the quality of life of our dependents take precedence. Therefore it is all the more important that various companies come to our assistance in such projects as supplying suitable computer equipment. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lek Pharmaceuticals for this donation, which will ease and enhance our work and also make an important contribution to improving the time our dependents spend at our institute, which is of course more important than anything else.”

The computers which will be used to help the work of teachers with students and to equip the computer workshops at the Tabor Elementary School in Logatec were also received with pleasure. Peter Bezek, computer skills instructor at Tabor Elementary School, said: “In the last few years at Tabor Elementary School in accordance with our teaching plans we have increased computer instruction activities for all age groups. Today we are seeing major differences in computer literacy, which are often the result of the social standards of families, i.e. their possibilities for purchasing computer equipment. Therefore it is important that the school can guarantee computer education for children and youths and give them the equal conditions in their educational process. By donating these computers to us, Lek will make these goals possible, for which we sincerely thank them.”

As a pharmaceutical company which is concerned with the long-term improvement and preservation of the quality of health and life, Lek actively participates in humanitarian and health-care activities and provides assistance in the fields of culture, education, scientific research and sport. Lek’s broad commitment to its social environment has a common denominator, which is a great amount of responsibility for children and youth, for whom Lek endeavors to provide a better today and tomorrow.

This campaign is just one of the steps which Lek has courageously and decisively taken in order to do their part as a corporate citizen, as a part of their mission to improve health care and the quality of life in the fullest sense of the words. Lek’s role is also part of Novartis’ corporate citizenship, which is one of the pillars of the operations of that globally successful pharmaceutical company.

Lek, a new Sandoz company, is an international pharmaceutical company which operates as a business center on the markets of Central and Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe and the CIS region, and also markets its products successfully on the US market, in the EU and elsewhere around the world. Lek creates value through the development, manufacturing and sales of pharmaceutical products, active pharmaceutical ingredients and biopharmaceutical products. The Lek Group employs about 3850 people in various regions and achieved total sales of USD 694 million in 2003. For further information please consult http://www.lek.si.

Sandoz, a Novartis company, is a world leader in generic pharmaceuticals and develops, manufactures and markets these medicines as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnological active ingredients. Decades of experience and profound know-how make Sandoz a renowned partner in the Pharmaceuticals, Biopharmaceuticals and Industrial Products Franchises. Altogether, Sandoz employs approximately 13,000 people worldwide and posted sales of USD 2.9 billion in 2003.

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health. In 2003, the Group’s business achieved sales of USD 24.9 billion and a net income of USD 5.0 billion. The Group invested approximately USD 3.8 billion in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 78 500 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information, please consult http://www.novartis.com