NEW YORK, 24 June 2010 – UNICEF today welcomed the announcement
of a new partnership with global volunteer network Kiwanis
International to fight tetanus in women and children worldwide,
a disease that kills around 60,000 newborns each year. “This is
a disease that affects the poorest of the poor; those who have
the least access to healthcare,” said Dr. Nicholas K. Alipui,
UNICEF Director of Programmes. “If we are ever going to make the
virtual elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus into a
meaningful impact for children, this is it.” The aim of this new
campaign is the total elimination of maternal and neonatal
tetanus by providing vaccinations and healthcare to children and
women most at risk. Most of the mothers and newborn babies who
die of maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) live in 40 countries
in Africa and Southern and East Asia. The disease kills one baby
every nine minutes, and death is preceded by excruciating pain –
tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and
experience extreme sen