London
- Today, Thur 08
February 2007, Pampers
and UNICEF announced
the results of their
joint campaign to provide
tetanus vaccinations
to help protect vulnerable
mothers and their new
babies against maternal
and neonatal tetanus.
The 2 month campaign
ran during November
and December last year
and has resulted in
7,461,234 vaccines
being donated to UNICEF
UK and UNICEF Ireland.
Tetanus is still
a major global public
health problem in developing
countries, with an
estimated 500,000 cases
still occurring every
year, killing approximately
200,000 young babies
and 30,000 mothers
per year.
The true extent of
the tetanus death toll
is not known since
populations at highest
risk of tetanus tend
to live in rural areas
and have little access
to health care and
birth registration
so many newborns and
mothers die at home
and neither the birth
nor the death is reported. For
this reason, tetanus
is often called the
“silent killer.”
Following administration
of tetanus vaccine
to the mother, antibodies
pass to the foetus
across the placenta
to provide protection
against maternal and
neonatal tetanus for
both mother and baby.
To protect the newborn,
women should receive
at least two doses
of tetanus vaccine
at least four weeks
apart, with the last
dose at least two weeks
before delivery.
For every
pack of Pampers nappies
purchased during the
campaign, Pampers donated
the funding equivalent
to one tetanus vaccination
to UNICEF for distribution
to the most vulnerable
mothers through UNICEF’s
immunization programmes.
The campaign was
supported by Pampers
TV advertising as well
as radio, print media,
internet and in-store
activity to raise awareness
of the issue and to
encourage the public
to support UNICEF.
David
Bull, UNICEF UK
Executive Director,
said: “UNICEF is extremely
grateful to Pampers
for their investment
in UNICEF’s tetanus
immunization programmes
around the world. Innovative
partnerships such as
this are invaluable
in raising the profile
of this killer disease
and helping UNICEF
to provide the support
needed to save thousands
of mothers’ and babies’
lives each year.”
Pampers' spokesperson
Forbes McDougall said
“Pampers are delighted
to be able to deliver
so many vaccinations
to UNICEF UK and UNICEF
Ireland. The response
to this campaign has
exceeded all expectations
. This partnership
will continue in the
future as we work together
with UNICEF to help
them provide the support
and vaccinations needed
to save the lives of
vulnerable mothers’
and babies’ each year”.
For
more information on the
campaign :
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Ends -
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