Unilever Partners with USAID to Avert Child Mortality
Unilever
has renewed its partnership with USAID, which will see expansion of its
Lifebuoy hand washing with soap campaign in Kenya so as to save lives of
new-born babies.
Miriam
Sidibe, Global Brand Director-Lifebuoy Social Mission notes that more
than 1.2 million new-borns do not live beyond the first year in
sub-Saharan Africa, deaths that can be prevented through hand washing
with soap.
“Most
new-born deaths are due to infections, and could be averted through
simple preventive measures such as improving hygiene and ensuring
curative care is available to sick children,” she said.
Lifebuoy through its renewed partnership with USAID’s Maternal and Child Survival Programme (MCSP) aims to create a dedicated new-born programme to make hand washing with soap a common place among mothers.
“50%
of the world’s under-5 deaths happen in Africa, with 1 in every 10
children born dying before their 5th birthday. We are combining our
expertise to achieve real change for the mothers and children in Africa –
so that every child in Africa can live beyond their fifth birthday,”
added Sidibe.
The
partnership comes barely days after the Government called on donors and
private sector to harmonise their activities and funding so that
greater impact can be felt by the beneficiaries.
Lifebuoy aims to reach 71 million people across Africa by 2020 as part of its behaviour change programme which has engaged 257 million people in 24 countries since 2010, by teaching them good handwashing habits.
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