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Summit Joins Leaders in Government, Non-Profit and Professional Sectors to Discuss Public Health Concerns
American Red Cross Highlights Measles Initiative Program as Model Partnership
Written by
Amanda Mark
, Staff, Redcross.org
Thursday, November 03, 2005 — NEW YORK – The TIME Global Health Summit in New York sponsored in part by the American Red Cross and featuring leaders from government, non-profit and business sectors, highlighted major health concerns across the globe including avian flu, HIV/AIDS and water sanitation issues. Whether the discussion was malaria prevention or malnutrition, an overriding concern soon became apparent among the global health experts attending: even with the appropriate financial resources, how does one successfully carry out a health campaign in a developing country?
A Bangladesh Red Crescent Society worker urges a young girl to stay still while she receives her measles vaccination. The Measles Initiative, launched in 2001, has successfully built a vaccination program based on partnerships. One such partnership with BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) led to the solo shot syringe used in this vaccination. BD recently pledged $1.7 million to the Measles Initiative -- part of this donation includes medical supplies such as the syringe and the proper training to use these supplies.
(Photo Credit: Daniel Cima/American Red Cross)
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The succinct answer was repeated by the vast majority of experts: Partner smart and work with the local communities around the world.
While this answer may seem too simplistic to appease the toughest of critics, the American Red Cross stood up its Measles Initiative as an example of an effective partnership that utilizes each partner’s skills and pairs up locally with Red Cross societies around the world.
The Measles Initiative, whose founders include the American Red Cross, UN Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the World Health Organization, has vaccinated more than 200 million children against measles since 2001.
This program was described by Dr. Mark Grabowsky, senior technical advisor, American Red Cross, as “arguably the most effective global health campaign in recent history.” Dr. Grabowsky attributed the effectiveness of the program to the wide range of skills that its partners possess.
“The success of the Measles Initiative depends on a breadth of partnerships. Each of our partners is simply the best at what they do and this high quality is reflected in the level of achievement of the partnership as a whole,” said Dr. Grabowsky.
The Red Cross yesterday announced a milestone success in the Measles Initiative – a 60 percent drop in measles deaths since 1999.
“The American Red Cross and its Measles Initiative partners are reaching more than 93 percent of children at-risk for measles in Africa, concentrating on those in the most remote locations,” said Marty Evans, president and CEO, American Red Cross. “The Initiative has led the way in reducing measles deaths by half over the past five years, and with the Global Health Summit, we hope to continue our mission with others who help the world’s most vulnerable.”
TIME Managing Editor Jim Kelly (left) moderated a Q&A session with Bill Clinton, former President of the United States and founder of the Clinton Foundation, and Bill Gates, founder and chairman of Microsoft Corporation and co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Both agreed that research and partnerships were key to disease elimination and improved world health.
(Photo Credit: Amanda Mark/American Red Cross)
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Other renowned figures share this mission of helping the world’s most vulnerable. At a Q&A session yesterday, Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman and co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and President Bill Clinton offered their thoughts on eliminating diseases such as malaria, measles and HIV/AIDS from the global health scene. Both “Bills” currently lead non-profit organizations that deal with global health concerns and both shared similar trains of thought – as they advocated for working in conjunction with businesses, such as pharmaceutical companies, and continuing cutting edge research.
Beyond the successful partnerships that occur with the five founders of the Measles Initiative, this program also has taken the “Bills” advice and teamed with business and technology entities including BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) to ensure that measles vaccinations are safe and effective.
The American Red Cross and BD partnership highlights new technology advances made in the fight to eliminate measles including a single-shot syringe that effectively eliminates repeated use of equipment, which can spread Hepatitis B and C, and an in-development inhalant vaccine. One large plus of this single-use syringe is that those administering the shots do not have to be literate or numerate to use this syringe and BD’s technology has erased the fear of an overdose.
"The public and private sectors must work together to address critical global healthcare issues," said Edward J. Ludwig, chairman, president and CEO of BD. “We're honored to join the American Red Cross as we continue our efforts to impact diseases, such as measles, that are preventable with vaccinations.”
After three days of panels, discussions and speeches featuring well-known global health pundits such as Kofí Annan, Ted Turner, Richard Branson and Madeleine Albright, the TIME Global Health Summit concludes today with an Alicia Keys-headlined concert that benefits children and families suffering from HIV/AIDS.
The Measles Initiative is a partnership committed to reducing measles deaths globally. Launched in 2001, the Initiative—led by the American Red Cross, the United Nations Foundation, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the World Health Organization—provides technical and financial support to governments and communities on vaccination campaigns worldwide. To date, the Initiative has supported the vaccination of more than 500 million children in 50 countries helping reduce measles deaths by more than 68% globally and 91% in Africa (compared to 2000). To learn more or make a donation, visit www.measlesinitiative.org.
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