Tag Archives: UNICEF

Sabin Celebrates 20 Years of Operations with a Star-Studded Event

Global Health, pharmaceuticals, , , ,

 

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This post originally appeared on the Sabin Vaccine Institute blog.

In celebration of twenty years since its founding, the Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) will bring together top leaders in the global health community for its 20th Anniversary Scientific Symposium on Friday, April 25 in Washington, DC.

The program will include an impressive lineup of speakers including Dr. Seth Berkley (GAVI Alliance); Dr. Margaret Chan (WHO); Dr. Mickey Chopra (UNICEF); Dr. Carissa Etienne (PAHO); Dr. Julio Frenk (Harvard University); Dr. Julie Gerberding (Merck Vaccines and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations); Dr. Lance Gordon (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation); and Dr. Mahendra Suhardono (Biofarma and the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network).  On behalf of Sabin’s vaccine leadership, President Dr. Peter Hotez and Executive Vice President Dr. Ciro de Quadros will also make remarks at the event.

By bringing together a diverse group of scientists, advocates and global health experts, Sabin will foster a thought-provoking discussion about best practices, lessons learned and prospects for the future of global health.  With executive leadership from the NGO community, multilateral institutions, pharmaceutical industry, and academia, attendees will hear how stakeholders from various vantage points – from the NGO, private and public sectors – are uniquely positioned to address pressing global health challenges across the world.

This event is open to the public; to register, please visit the event registration page.

UNICEF Organizes Hygiene Promotion and Deworming Week in Uzbekistan

de-worming, NTDs, hand-washing, , , Uzbekistan

In celebration of the Hygiene Promotion and Deworming Week organized by UNICEF, some 900,000 children between ages 6 and 11 received deworming tablets in the Andijan, Ferghana and Namangan provinces of the eastern Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan.

During the week, a variety of health promotion activities took place that emphasized the link between proper hand-washing and the prevention of worms and other diseases. In the Ferghana Province, children were enterained by Masqaraboz Tozavoy’, or Mr. Clean, a clown that spoke to the children with hygiene messages in a fun and educational way. He asked them to take his messages home to their families, friends and neighbours. “I would like you to be hand-washing heroes in your school and at home,” he told them.

Below is a video from event in Uzbekistan:

Besides hygiene promotion, activities focused on tackling worm infestations. In 2011, a study jointly conducted by UNICEF and WHO in the Ferghana valley revealed that up to 75 per cent of children living in the region had worms. UNICEF’s support of the week-long intensive campaign allowed for the procurement of 1,000,000 mebendazole tablets, an effective de-worming medicines, as well as hygiene promotion materials for schools.

 

Click here to learn more about the event

Reading List 9/21/2010

Global Development, Global Health, Public Health, reading list, , , , Rwanda,

World leaders are currently convening at the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Summit in New York City to end poverty and further global development! In recognition of the summit, every reading list this week will be MDG-themed. And of course we’ll include readings on the latest happenings in NTDs and global health. Today we’re reading about the UN announcing the summit’s start, how immunization and combating Pneumonia will help achieve the MDGs, and Rwanda’s progress in achieving the MDGs.

UN MDGs summit kicks off with events on education and child survival, UNICEF
Immunization is key to achieving child survival goals, GAVI Alliance
Rwanda makes progress on MDGs, News24
5 Ways to Combat Pneumonia Globally, Dr. Orin Levine, The Huffington Post

4 Million Children Dewormed in Rwanda

UncategorizedAccess Project, , Global Fund, Legatum, Ministry of Health, , PSI, Red Cross, Rwanda, , , , World Food Program

denise_mupfasoni By Denise Mupfasoni, MD
National Coordinator, Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program
The Access Project

On October 9th, the first lady of the Republic of Rwanda, Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, launched the Integrated Measles Campaign which included a mass drug administration against intestinal worms and schistosomiasis in Gashora, Bugesera District.

During the campaign, an estimated four million children of 1-16 years were dewormed nationwide using mebendazole or albendazole tablets. In addition, school aged-children of 5-16 years in schistosomiasis endemic districts of Rutsiro, Nyamasheke, Gakenke, Gicumbi, Nyagatare and Ngoma also received praziquantel tablets.

Rwandan schoolchildren excited to receive their deworming medication. Photo courtesy of The Access Project

Rwandan schoolchildren excited to receive their deworming medication. Photo courtesy of The Access Project

In her remarks during the launching ceremony, Mrs. Kagame applauded the important contribution of the Ministry of Health’s partners including Columbia University’s NTD Access Project, which provides ongoing support to Rwanda’s Ministry of Health in its efforts to build a foundation for sustainable NTD control.

“People are very excited to receive medicine for worms and schistosomiasis because they all now understand the importance of de-worming their children” said Cyprien Ntawuguranimana, deputy head of Gashora Health Center.  “We are not only administrating drugs but we are also educating them to practice preventive measures against NTDs since we all know that prevention is better than cure,” he added.

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