Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America
Partner since 2021
For over 40 years, Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) has guided industry leaders, governmental bodies and consumers on issues related to halal food, nutrition and pharmaceutical products around the world.
IFANCA is the founding member of the World Halal Food Council, a global 55-member organization that has been instrumental in building vaccine confidence. Through the Council, IFANCA works with regulatory bodies and pharma companies to create transparency and trust among Muslim communities through the halal certification of vaccines, stepping up these efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eradicating Polio
IFANCA made a new commitment of $1.8 million towards the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). This funding, which will be distributed over the next three years, will be used to support polio vaccination efforts to eradicate the disease. UNICEF helps vaccinate over 350 million children globally against polio every year, and IFANCA is proud to support them in their mission.
Dr. Muhammad M. Chaudry, President and CEO of IFANCA, spoke about IFANCA’s commitment at the Polio Pledging Event at the World Health Summit in Berlin on October 18, 2022. UNICEF and its partners in the GPEI co-hosted this event alongside the Government of Germany to raise funds and commit resources to the Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026: Delivering on a Promise.
“On behalf of IFANCA, I am proud to pledge our support for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative,” said Dr. Chaudry. “Addressing health security is an essential tenet of our organization, and partnering with UNICEF has enabled us to work towards health equity for children and their communities.”
Responding to COVID-19 and building public trust in vaccines
IFANCA leveraged its expertise, influence and global network to support UNICEF’s global work as part of COVAX. In June 2021, IFANCA committed $3 million to support UNICEF efforts leading COVID-19 vaccine procurement and supply to ensure equitable distribution of doses to 144 low and middle-income countries.
IFANCA support also backed UNICEF’s work with the World Health Organization, partners and communities to address misinformation and build trust in the vaccines and in the health systems delivering them.
Speaking to the impact of IFANCA's support, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Partnerships Charlotte Petri-Gornitzka said it allowed UNICEF and partners to "bring reliable vaccine information to parents, caregivers and educators based on facts and science."