Kiwanis Worldwide Service Project: A chance to save millions of lives
Elizabeth Kiem, UNICEF USA
Selected winner will be announed in June 2010
NEW YORK (March 16, 2010) — UNICEF has been selected by Kiwanis International as a finalist for a Worldwide Service Project that could save millions of mothers and their newborn babies from a fatal, but preventable illness.
A brief video gives an overview of how Kiwanis and UNICEF could partner together to eliminate Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus, a neglected and deadly disease.
Though the vaccine against tetanus is effective and affordable, hundreds of millions of pregnant women go without it, leaving their infants unprotected as well. As a result, every four minutes a baby dies of tetanus somewhere in the world.
The US Fund for UNICEF is prepared to combat the scourge of Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT), by improving immunization, training, and surveillance in the 42 countries where it is the greatest threat. Kiwanis International has chosen the UNICEF MNT proposal as a finalist in its next Worldwide Service Project (WSP).
Support for the cause
© UNICEF/NYHQ2002-0263/Giacomo Pirozzi
A woman is immunized against tetanus using a Uniject syringe.
Through its website, Kiwanis, a 600,000 member organization, is calling for public input on this global cause. You can show your support for the UNICEF/Kiwanis MNT campaign that will help the US Fund for UNICEF reach its goal to eliminate MNT by 2015.
Visit the Kiwanis WSP website and select “Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus: UNICEF proposal" to show your support for this campaign. In addition to recommending UNICEF’s proposal, visitors to the website can join an online discussion about tetanus, child survival, and the work of Kiwanis charities in promoting child welfare around the world.
Kiwanis and UNICEF have a long history of productive partnership, including the WSP to combat iodine deficiency. This year, Kiwanis has been a generous donor to UNICEF’s emergency fund for the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti.
Elimination in five years
Tetanus infection is a common result substandard delivery for women in poor communities. Giving birth in an unsanitary environment poses a risk for mothers as well as their infants, who are susceptible to the toxins passed through a mother’s umbilical cord and to infection if the cord is not properly cleaned and treated when cut.
Three doses of tetanus vaccine, combined with better training for health workers and increased attention to the importance of government investment in maternal health can, and will reduce the incidence of tetanus in the impoverished world.
With a financial commitment of $110 million and 100 million service hours, Kiwanis can be the perfect partner for UNICEF in eliminating MNT over the next five years. Visit the Worldwide Service Project and do your part to reduce infant deaths to zero.
