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THE ISSUE “Maternal and neonatal tetanus continues to take the lives of 200,000 newborns and 30,000 mothers annually in 57 developing countries where it remains a public health threat. The ability to reach women and children in remote regions of the world is imperative to the success of the global push to eliminate MNT by 2005.” - Charles J. Lyons President, U.S. Fund for UNICEF OUR EXPERTISE BD’s ability to mobilize skills and resources in support of large-scale immunization campaigns continues to be an important asset in the ongoing effort to challenge diseases that were conquered long ago in the developed world. In addition to monetary support totaling millions of dollars, BD has developed and donated significant quantities of immunization injection devices designed for use in less developed environments, and implemented information and education programs for general populations and healthcare providers.   OUR CONTRIBUTION BD has developed several injection devices that are automatically rendered non-reusable once a vaccine has been delivered. This feature prevents reuse of syringes and needles, helping to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Among these innovative delivery products, which have been used by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international agencies, are the BD Soloshot syringe and BD Uniject prefilled injection device.

U.S. Fund for UNICEF and BD partner to accelerate elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus BD and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are working together to immunize an estimated 240 million women in a global tetanus elimination campaign over the next three years. BD is working on many fronts to ensure the campaign’s success, including donation of half the needed injection devices.     One of the campaign’s tools will be millions of BD Uniject devices. This non-reusable, prefilled injection device is designed to enhance dose accuracy and safety, and requires very little training for use. When filled with a tetanus vaccine that remains stable at ambient temperatures without refrigeration for up to three months, the BD Uniject device is ideal for use in remote and difficult environments. It was successfully field tested during a July 2002 immunization campaign in Mali, where the short-term goal was to immunize 118,000 women of childbearing age during a one-week period. Field reports indicate that the BD Uniject device enabled injectors to immunize women three times more rapidly than traditional auto-disable devices.     BD was the first partner to join the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in an effort to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) worldwide. BD’s original $3 million commitment of cash, products, equipment and technical assistance has grown over time and is expected to reach more than $15 million before the campaign’s conclusion. This is the largest direct commitment ever made to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s MNT campaign by a single corporate donor.     This program demonstrates how inexpensive it can be to provide life-saving healthcare. The cost of the full three-round immunization regimen–including the vaccine, the injection devices, all field and administrative support, and education on clean birthing practices–is just $1.20 per woman vaccinated.