HELP STOP DISEASE IN ITS TRACKS BY PG JOHN TYNER II, DISTRICT ADVOCATE, THE ELIMINATE PROJECT Did you know that immunization against various diseases remains one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions? Since 1980, UNICEF has helped quadruple immunization rates for children worldwide, saving as many as 3 million young lives every year. That’s more than five lives saved every minute of every day. As a direct result of immunization, the world is closer than ever to eradicating polio, with only two remaining polioendemic countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Now, by our participation through the Kiwanis Children’s Fund, all but 12 countries have eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus, a centuries-old disease that is almost always fatal in newborns. Despite progress by UNICEF and partners like Kiwanis however, millions of children globally continue to miss out on lifesaving vaccines. To make matters worse, beginning in 2020, the COVID-19 crisis disrupted routine immunization services for millions of children in dozens of countries. Conflict, displacement and poverty keep some of the most vulnerable children from getting the vaccines that can protect them from diseases such as tetanus. Fear of vaccines can prevent families from getting the help they need. Even when vaccines are available, the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate affects coverage, opening the door to new outbreaks. Utilizing our donations, UNICEF deploys community mobilizers to educate and reassure families, and debunk myths and misinformation. Since 1999, UNICEF and its partners have immunized more than 154 million women in 53 countries, having helped eliminate the disease in 47 countries. But maternal and neonatal tetanus remains a public health threat in 12 others. The women and newborns most at risk live in areas scarred by poverty, poor medical infrastructure or humanitarian crises.
Arwein Ahmed, 26, lives in the Malia district in Aden, Yemen, in a neighborhood filled with shanty homes made of cardboard, plastic sheets and other scavenged materials. Despite her impoverished circumstances, Arwein’s 4-month-old son, Abdulrahman, is healthy and happy — a fact she attributes to the timely tetanus immunizations she received at a UNICEF-supported health care center during her pregnancy. UNICEF is conducting a Communication for Development campaign in Yemen to raise awareness about tetanus among adolescent girls and expectant mothers. The work is mainly carried out by locally recruited volunteers and community mobilizers. Please remember that UNICEF provides vaccines to nearly half of the world’s children, saving an estimated 2 to 3 million kids from life-threatening diseases each year. With your help, UNICEF can protect every child from vaccine-preventable illnesses so they can survive and thrive. Capital District has done extremely well in our support for The Eliminate Project through our $3 million pledge. As we look forward to our eventual recovery from the COIVD-19 pandemic, please continue to donate in support of UNICEF’s work to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in those remaining 12 countries around the world. Thank you!!
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A terrible reality is reflected in one of these countries: Yemen. More than four years of armed conflict have made life extremely difficult — particularly for mothers and children — in what was already the poorest country in the Middle East. Every two hours, a mother and six newborns die because of complications during pregnancy or birth. The Capital Kiwanian
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