July 3, 2014 - Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://onforb.es/1qvyaL1. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwitunes or on Stitcher by clicking here: http://bit.ly/ymotwstitcher. Every year 58,000 babies die from maternal and neonatal tetanus or MNT, all in the developing world. UNICEF, with support from Procter and Gamble’s Pampers, is working to eliminate MNT around the world. The battle against MNT in Indonesia is nearing its end. The partnership between Pampers and UNICEF is an example of growing and powerful trend for corporations to be significantly and actively involved in solving social problems. The tie between Pampers and saving babies is obvious and clearly stands to benefit the brand as well as the babies, but that doesn’t make the financial support less helpful. UNICEF praises Pampers for its long-term support of the initiative, noting that “sustained financial resources” are required to successfully eliminate the disease and to save lives. More about UNICEF: UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. Dr. Rownak Khan, UNICEF Dr. Rownak Khan, UNICEF Dr. Khan’s bio: With over than 17 years of experience in public health in developing countries, Dr. Rownak Khan took the position of Senior Health Specialist at the United Nations Children’s Fund, New York Headquarters in 2010. Previous to this appointment, she worked in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. During her career in public health with UNICEF she has focused on children’s vaccination programmes and has worked closely with national governments to develop policy, strategy and plans to provide vaccines to women and children, especially for vulnerable and difficult to reach population. In Bangladesh, a country with highest number of neonatal deaths due to neonatal tetanus in the 1980s, Dr. Khan coordinated maternal and neo-natal tetanus elimination efforts in the late 90s and early 2000s which lead to elimination of the disease in 2008. She also has implemented the MNTE programme in the remote and highly conservative areas of northern Afghanistan. At UNICEF Headquarters, Dr. Khan has worked in various other disease control initiatives such as Polio Eradication and the Yellow Fever control programme, with a specific focus on marginalized and difficult to access populations. Dr. Khan is also part of the on-going effort in UNICEF to reach the most underserved populations with vaccines and other essential health services – the centre piece of the Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination programme strategy. Dr. Khan has an MD from Dhaka Medical College in Bangladesh and an MSC in Public Health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in UK . She also has training in Paediatrics and Gynaecology and Obstetrics.
Episode 58: Procter & Gamble Sponsors UNICEF Effort To Save Babies In 25 Developing Countries