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1 April 2001
Media Advisory
BILL GATES SENIOR AND CAROL BELLAMY DELIVER
LIFE-SAVING VACCINES TO MOZAMBIQUE
WHO: |
Bill Gates Sr., Co-chair of the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation Carol Bellamy, Executive Director United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) |
WHEN: |
Friday, 6 April 2001 |
WHERE: |
Mozambique, Africa Bill Gates Sr. and
Carol Bellamy will travel from the capital city Maputo to Boane
District Health Clinic in Maputo Province. |
WHAT: |
The Gates and Bellamy visit celebrates
the arrival of the first vaccines to Africa contributed by The
Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) and The
Vaccine Fund. Gates and Bellamy will present the first boxes
of DTP-hepB vaccines to Mozambique’s President Joaquim Chissano
and also see the very first children being immunized with the
new vaccines. The DTP-hepB vaccines will be used to immunize
children against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and hepatitis
B. |
WHY: |
GAVI/The Vaccine Fund estimates that 2 million
children die every year because they lack access to immunization.
Hepatitis B claims one million adult lives a year due to poor
childhood immunisation against the disease. The GAVI/Global
Fund contribution to Mozambique consists of 1,3 million doses
of DTP-hepB with an estimated value of $1.5 million. In addition,
Mozambique will receive $462,000 to strengthen the country’s
immunization services and a supply of auto-disable syringes
and safety boxes. |
For further information or to arrange interviews
please contact:
Yasmin Zaman,
UNICEF,
New York,
tel: (+258) 1 490 023 |
Joseldo Massango,
UNICEF,
Maputo,
tel: (+258) 1 490 023
or mobile 082 324 903 |
Dr. Martinho Dgedge,
Ministry of Health,
tel: (+258) 1 1 421 738 |
Annemarie Hou,
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
Seattle,
tel: (+1) 206 709 3265
or mobile (+1) 206 709 3265 |
Note to Editors: A
full list of spokespersons is also available with other key GAVI
and Global Fund partners.
Further information:
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