Vestergaard and Rainco join to launch quality products

Vestergaard Frandsen, the Swiss company known for its technologically innovative products that prevent the transmission of diseases, together with Rainco (Pvt) Ltd. of Sri Lanka, market leaders in umbrellas and mosquito nets, launched the `Prince' of mosquito nets, `PermaNet(r)', to the local market recently.

These long lasting insecticide treated [LLIN] mosquito bed nets and curtains, along with LifeStraw(r) water purifiers, were introduced to the local market recently by Regional Retail Head Asia, for Vestergaard Frandsen India [Pvt] Ltd., Neeraj Jain and Managing Director Rainco (Pvt) Ltd., Fazal M Fausz, Sri Lankan partners of Vestergaard Frandsen.

Partnership

L-R: Regional Retail Head Vestergaard Frandsen [India] (Pvt) Ltd., Neeraj Jain and Managing Director - Rainco (Pvt) Ltd., Fazal Fausz at the launch of PermaNet(r) and LifeStraw(r).

"We are happy to announce the partnership with Rainco to distribute our products across Sri Lanka and believe that our combined efforts will help fight disease and save lives," said Jain.

Managing Director of Rainco (Pvt) Ltd., Fazal Fausz said that the increasing incidence of mosquito borne diseases had led to Rainco's decision to make available this product to the Sri Lankan consumer.

"In fact we have been negotiating to bring down these WHO recommended nets to Sri Lanka for the last 2 years and it was only one month ago that we obtained approval from the Ministry of Health subsequent to an exhaustive evaluation process" said Fausz.

He went on to say that these nets had been brought down by the Government and distributed amongst low income families free of charge.

"For the very first time they will now be available in the retail market via our islandwide distributor network".

"PermaNet(r) nets are treated to first repel the mosquito and then finally kill it. These insecticide impregnated nets are the most effective way of keeping persistent insects at bay and over 170 million such nets have been provided by Vestergaard-Frandsen across the world to prevent the spread of vector borne diseases such as Malaria, Dengue, Leishmaniasis, Filariasis and Chagas" said Jain.

He also added that the technology used to manufacture the nets controls the slow release and migration of the WHO approved insecticide in the yarn to the surface of the netting, resulting in long lasting efficacy even after multiple washes.

Fazal Fausz said that for years NGOs across the world had been distributing these nets in countries where mosquito borne diseases were prevalent, but this was the very first time that they would be available in Sri Lanka in retail outlets.

Price

"The PermaNet(r) Nets will be priced at approximately between Rs. 2,200 to Rs. 3,200 and are impregnated with the insecticide Deltamethrin," said Fausz. He stressed the fact that this has no adverse effect on adults, pregnant women or children and in fact had been subject to years of rigorous field testing and research by the World Health Organization Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES).

Jain went on to say that apart from the mosquito nets, which would be available in the colours pink, white and blue, they have also introduced a range of mosquito repellent curtains.

"A common problem in Sri Lanka is that by 5 p.m. we are compelled to close our windows and endure discomfort in order that the mosquitoes are kept out, but these curtains enable you to have your windows open whilst keeping mosquitoes out and what's more they cannot even hide in the folds of the curtains", said Fausz.

The WHO estimates 500 million cases of malaria occur annually worldwide. With an estimated 1.3% growth penalty on the national economy, the toll is highest in developing countries where at least one million people die of the disease annually, with young children accounting for most of the deaths.

"Although it is estimated that not a very large percentage of Sri Lanka's population use nets to keep mosquitoes at bay, the number must necessarily increase with the rising incidence of malaria, dengue, and other mosquito borne diseases" said Jain.

Also simultaneously introduced by Vestergaard were the high quality LifeStraw(r) water purification devices, for both household as well as individual use.