Press Release
Canada contributes $66 million to UNICEF for immunization
and health programs for children
OTTAWA / NEW YORK, 1 May 2003 – The Canadian Government announced
today that it is contributing $66 million in Canadian dollars to UNICEF
in support of vital immunization and vitamin A distribution programs
for children in the poorest countries.
The gift to UNICEF comes as part of a package of global health initiatives
by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) totaling
$143.6 million over five years.
UNICEF will receive $32.3 million from CIDA over five years to help
expand routine vaccination of children against such diseases as tuberculosis,
measles, diphtheria, and tetanus. The gift will also help expand UNICEF’s
use of auto-disable syringes, which enhance safety of injections because
they can only be used once.
UNICEF will also receive $33.6 million to extend its highly successful
vitamin A supplementation campaign, which presently reaches more than
200 million children in over 70 countries. Vitamin A strengthens the
immune system, helping protect children against death and illnesses
of all kinds. Canada is the leader in supporting UNICEF’s vitamin
A programs.
“We could not be more grateful for the vision and generosity
of the Canadian Government,” said Carol Bellamy, Executive Director
of UNICEF. “These contributions will have a profound impact on
the lives of millions of children in the poorest countries. They’ll
never know how these life-saving vaccines and micronutrients reached
them. But they will benefit for the rest of their lives. On their behalf
we say, thank you, Canada.”
Over the past six years, Canada has contributed more than $73 million
(Canadian) to UNICEF’s immunization and vitamin A initiatives.
UNICEF estimates that over 2.5 million child deaths are prevented annually
through immunization and vitamin A programmes. Canada has been the major
contributor to UNICEF’s measles reduction efforts as well as its
vitamin A initiative, which alone has prevented an estimated 1.5 million
deaths over the past 4 years.
A global leader in child health, UNICEF is the world’s largest
purchaser of childhood vaccines, delivering billions of doses each year
and accounting for more than 40 per cent of all vaccines used in developing
countries.
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For further information, please contact:
Alfred Ironside, UNICEF Media, New York: (212) 326-7261
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