UNICEF fights tetanus
Every three minutes worldwide, a newborn child dies of tetanus, which is easily preventable. UNICEF was one of the first to address this problem. Six years ago, UNICEF launched a global campaign to prevent tetanus among women and newlyborns in 58 countries in Africa and South-East Asia, where tetanus is estimated to claim the lives of some 200,000 people every year. In the past six years, UNICEF’s efforts have already helped eliminate this deadly disease in 11 of those countries. However, according to UNICEF and World Health Organization, this disease still jeopardizes the lives of women and children in 47 countries worldwide.
Here is one of the examples of the biggest impact that some minor medical interference may have. In 2007, UNICEF launched a national vaccination campaign to eliminate tetanus in Guinea - Bissau. 330,000 women of child-bearing age were vaccinated against tetanus for the first time. Nefi, a 20-year-old woman in the seventh month of her pregnancy, arrived at the medical centre to be vaccinated, as she hoped that it would help her baby. “A year ago, I lost my newborn baby. It was a boy. He lived only for several days and died in convulsions. The vaccine is my baby’s chance of survival”, she said.
This particular death and many other fatal outcomes could have been easily prevented. UNICEF and World Health Organization are convinced that by 2012, tetanus among newborns could be fully eliminated.
