13 Oct 2008

Fonterra gives millions to infant health in China

6:13 am on 13 October 2008

Fonterra says it is donating more than $8 million to help establish an infant healthcare programme in China.

The announcement by the New Zealand dairy producer follows a contaminated milk scandal in China.

In China, four babies have died and more than 63,000 children have been made ill with kidney problems as a result of drinking infant milk formula tainted with the industrial chemical melamine.

Fonterra says it will be donating $8.4 million over five years to a community infant healthcare programme.

In a news release announcing the donation, the company does not make any refererence to the milk contamination scandal or its 43% shareholding in Sanlu, one of the companies involved in the scandal.

Fonterra says the funds will be used for medical care and advice to pregnant women and mothers of infants in rural communities across China.