ARUSHA, Tanzania, June 27 /PRNewswire/ --

- Abbott Fund Will Upgrade All of Tanzania's Regional Hospital
Laboratories, and Abbott to Provide 1 Million Free Rapid HIV Tests

Abbott's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Miles D. White joined
Tanzania's Minister of Health and Social Welfare the Hon. David Mwakyusa in
Arusha today to dedicate the new Abbott Fund-supported laboratory at Mt. Meru
Hospital. Mr. White also today announced two new initiatives that will
improve overall access to health care, and expand access to HIV testing and
care throughout Tanzania.

Specifically, Mr. White noted that Abbott Fund will work with the
Government of Tanzania to modernize all of the country's regional hospital
laboratories. He also announced that Abbott will donate 1 million rapid HIV
tests to support Tanzania's national HIV testing program.

Like many countries in Africa, Tanzania continues to face significant
health care challenges. Life expectancy in the country is 48 years -- about
30 years less than many European countries. In addition, Tanzania has just
one doctor for every 24,000 patients. One of the countries hardest hit by
HIV/AIDS, about seven percent of the people in Tanzania are infected with the
disease. Resource-limited health care systems, including a lack of modern
hospital laboratories and trained lab workers, continue to be key barriers to
scaling up HIV testing and treatment for people with HIV.

"Improving the health and health care of our people is a national
priority and must involve NGOs, the private sector and international
organizations," said Minister Mwakyusa. "With these new programs and the
ongoing support of Abbott and Abbott Fund, we are improving our ability to
provide basic health care for people in every town and village across the
country."

Improving the country's hospital laboratories is fundamental to improving
care in Tanzania; these laboratories provide testing services crucial for
diagnosis, prevention, treatment and ongoing disease monitoring of HIV/AIDS,
as well as diabetes, heart disease and many other conditions.

These new initiatives build on Abbott Fund's US$50+ million investment in
a unique public-private partnership with the Government of Tanzania to
strengthen the country's health care system. Abbott Fund has improved the
government's national HIV treatment program, expanding HIV testing and
treatment capabilities at more than 90 health centers and rural clinics --
bringing HIV care to people in some remote villages for the first time.
Through these programs, nearly one in three people on HIV treatment in
Tanzania are receiving care at facilities that have benefited from Abbott
Fund support. Abbott Fund also recently opened a new program office in
Tanzania to manage its extensive HIV/AIDS philanthropic efforts and
partnerships in the country. The new office is the first outside Abbott
Fund's U.S. headquarters, and the first and only corporate foundation office
in Tanzania.

"I'm proud to stand here today, five years since my first visit to
Tanzania, to see how far we've come. Yet I recognize the work ahead of us,"
said Mr. White. "Opening our first corporate foundation office in Dar es
Salaam and launching these new initiatives signifies our commitment to
continue to work on the ground, side by side with the government and people
of Tanzania."

Modernized Hospital Laboratory Dedicated at Mt. Meru Hospital

The newly modernized laboratory at Mt. Meru Hospital dedicated today,
along with upgrades at the outpatient clinic and extensive training of staff,
will improve care for 4 million people across the Arusha region. The hospital
can now provide automated testing crucial for the diagnosis and continued
monitoring of HIV/AIDS and many other diseases. Improvements have tripled
capacity at the laboratory, which is now able to serve up to 150 patients
each day versus just 45 patients prior to the renovations. In addition,
specialized Abbott employee volunteers have provided technical training and
support for lab staff and clinicians.

"The modernized laboratory and upgrades in outpatient care have allowed
us to provide patients with the right testing and care much faster than
before, which has helped us save lives," said Dr. Omar Sharrif Chande,
Interim Arusha Regional Medical Officer. "For example, now we're able to
provide test results the same day patients see the doctor, instead of waiting
days or weeks in the past. This has improved patient care for many people who
travel hundreds of kilometers to the hospital."

Abbott Fund to Help Modernize Hospital Laboratories Across Tanzania

Expanding on the work already completed at the Mt. Meru laboratory and
extensive earlier lab renovations at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es
Salaam, Abbott Fund is now committing to upgrade all of Tanzania's regional
hospital laboratories. Improvements, which will depend on each hospital's
needs, may include renovating labs and training staff in lab management, and
instrument use and maintenance.

Test Donation Part of Abbott's Leadership in HIV Testing Across Africa

Abbott also today announced a donation of 1 million rapid HIV tests. The
free tests will support the new national HIV testing campaign recently
announced by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

Since 2001, Abbott has provided rapid HIV tests at no profit to any
organization providing quality voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT)
services in 69 countries, including all of Africa and the world's Least
Developed Countries. With rapid HIV testing, any hospital or program in a
remote setting can obtain results regardless of access to laboratory
equipment or electricity. To date, Abbott has shipped more than 70 million
rapid HIV tests across Africa at no profit.

Abbott also is the only company that donates rapid HIV tests to prevent
mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in 69 countries. Enabling
pregnant women to learn their HIV status is a critical step in achieving
prevention -- local programs can then provide HIV-positive women with free
and convenient treatment to prevent the transmission of HIV to their
children. To date, Abbott has donated more than 5 million rapid HIV tests to
PMTCT programs across Africa.

About Abbott Fund in Tanzania

Earlier this month, the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) honored Abbott Fund with an Award for Business
Excellence for National Action for its public-private partnership with the
Government of Tanzania to fight HIV/AIDS. Since 2001, the Abbott Fund
initiative has made significant progress in strengthening Tanzania's health
care system. In addition to the work at Mt. Meru Hospital, key results to
date include:

-- Built a new outpatient center and renovated a clinical laboratory
       building at Muhimbili National Hospital, serving hundreds of patients 
       a day;
    -- Trained more than 10,000 health care workers;
    -- Provided HIV counseling and testing for more than 150,000 people; and
    -- Helped more than 150,000 children and families by providing access to
       health services, education and training, and pioneering legal
       protection for orphans and widows affected by HIV/AIDS.

About Abbott Global AIDS Care Programs

For more than 20 years, Abbott has made a significant contribution to the
fight against HIV/AIDS through the development of innovative tests and
medicines. Expanding on its scientific contributions, Abbott and Abbott Fund
have invested more than US$100 million in developing countries to improve the
lives of people affected by HIV/AIDS through programs targeting critical
areas of need, including strengthening health care systems, supporting
children affected by HIV/AIDS, preventing mother-to-child transmission of
HIV, and advancing HIV testing and treatment. For more information on these
programs, please visit http://www.abbottglobalcare.org.

About Abbott and Abbott Fund

Abbott Fund is a philanthropic foundation established by Abbott in 1951.
The Fund's mission is to create healthier global communities by investing in
creative ideas that promote science, expand access to health care and
strengthen communities worldwide. For more information, visit
http://www.abbottfund.org.

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the
discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and
medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The
company employs 65,000 people and markets its products in more than 130
countries. Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the
company's Web site at http://www.abbott.com.

Web site: http://www.abbott.com
              http://www.abbottfund.org