Qatar Airways Cargo has transported more than 100 tonnes of medications from Mumbai to Brasilia for customer Hermes Travel and Cargo Private Limited.
The airline said the Boeing 777F charter flight was one of the largest shipments of medicines that is has transported on a single flight.
"Through integrated planning and excellent co-ordination between all stakeholders involved, the life-saving Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) medications were dispatched to support Brazil’s Ministry of Health’s innovative response to the HIV epidemic," Qatar Cargo said.
The government of Brazil initiated the implementation of PrEP to prevent new cases of HIV among key higher-risk population groups through 35 sites across the country. The Brazilian programme aims to offer PrEP to 54,000 people within the next five years.
Guillaume Halleux, chief officer cargo, said: “Aviation and air cargo plays an important role in saving lives and we are humbled to support this innovative programme.
"Since the launch of our QR Pharma product, we have been working closely with our customers to enhance the product for the benefit of the final consumer. Our dedicated teams ensure the cool chain is unbroken to preserve the efficacy of all medicines flown on Qatar Airways Cargo.”
Rohan Thakkar, joint managing director at Hermes Travel & Cargo Private Limited, said: “The B777 charter freighter that was deployed on the Mumbai-Brasilia route to move such a huge volume of pharmaceuticals saw seamless, timely and very well co-ordinated deliverables from Qatar Airways Cargo, which paves the way for a growing cooperation with the carrier in the near future.”
The cargo carrier has been experiencing rapid growth in the transport of pharmaceuticals, with a 44% increase in tonnage in 2017-18 compared to 2016-17.
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