by Melinda Richardson, Chair, United Nations Association Young Professionals - Southern New York Division and Shot@Life Champion
I have advocated for global vaccines as a Shot@Life Champion for the past two years. This invaluable experience has led me to meetings with my Senator's office, a learning trip earlier this year to the Philippines, and various speaking engagements with both the Global Federation of Women's Clubs and the United Nations Association.
With United Nations Association Young Professionals, we hosted Shot@Life Director Devi Thomas in New York City, where she spoke with young professionals about the campaign efforts and how they can get more involved. Following up on this, we will be hosting, along with the Young Professionals Healthcare Network, a follow-up training with Shot@Life next week where young professionals can get more actively involved in the campaign (details here). Being a part of the Shot@Life campaign has taught me many things about vaccination efforts, how they save lives and have a tremendous impact on development, and my goal is to share this with the larger community and activate even more advocates as these safe and effective lifesavers should be available to every child around the world.
Earlier this week, in the lead up to World Pneumonia Day on November 12, I was able to sit down and speak with Dr. Namala Mkopi about pneumonia and his work promoting vaccines both as a pediatrician and as a Shot@Life Global Immunization Fellow at the UN Foundation in New York City. Shot@Life says that "pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death in children worldwide and accounts for 15% of all deaths of children under 5 years old". The prevention of pneumonia is a focus on the United Nations and Gavi, as it is critical to reducing childhood mortality. It is such a devastating disease that nearly one million children die each year. Nearly half of those deaths can be prevented with a vaccine. Dr. Mkopi discussed the progress in the fight against pneumonia in developing countries and Tanzania and challenges to these efforts. We also discussed how Shot@Life champions and supporters can enhance global vaccination efforts in their community and support these initiaitves around the world.
--
Interview with Dr. Mkopi
Q: What has inspired your work and led you to focus on championing childhood vaccines?
The most important motivation for what I do is seeing the difference we make on a day-to-day basis. Seeing children die when you know there is a vaccine that is cheap and reliable not only in my country but other developing countries and think it could have been me. Having a child makes me concerned. Knowing that children will be vaccinated means everyone is protected. Prevention instead of building infrastructure to treat as infrastructure takes years - and even with the best facilities prevention is far easier and we can do it.
Also, the amount of resources needed is high. The care and amount of resources - even parents leaving work to care for a child. All these things are too much in the country and these resources are a lot for developing countries especially. In terms of investment a vaccine is cheap and in terms of growth and development and health it is astonishing how cheap and easy vaccination is in comparison
Q: What do you think is the biggest challenge to immunization? in Tanzania? In the developing world?
The biggest challenge is getting human resources in place - in order to roll out a vaccine need everyone in place. Distance and coverage or range from these facilities is a hindrance to maximizing vaccines. Tanzania is highest in terms of coverage in our bloc. The healthcare system is solid in terms of basics and facilities-wise. But still not reaching 100% of these children. They set a target but it doesn’t mean all children. The last shot for pneumococcal vaccine, for instance, run as high as 97%. These are good numbers in Tanzania but out of five children one is not getting the vaccine - and this is in a “good” country.
We need to work to get rid of these barriers and we need to share experiences in our country why are we successful and why aren’t we vaccinating that fifth child.The use of public private partnerships boosts coverage as the government can’t always reach the whole country.This struggle in Tanzania has at least helped them to reach MDG4 at the end of last year.
Q: What do you see to be the biggest successes in getting vaccinations to developing countries?
There is the fast pace of development and we are getting there and it is important to share experiences! When you don’t see it may not know what it’s for. It helps when people realize that there is a change and advocacy and sharing stories is important in this.
Q: What would you say to a parent who his hesitant about vaccinating their child?
I don’t see that in developing countries. Many parents afraid of pneumonia and it is very common. Parents knowing that there is a vaccine to prevent this are happy and it is a good deal for them. Many people in Tanzania take vaccinating kids to be a good thing and they have seen high mortality in the past. This has gone from 100 to 49 (deaths per 1000) from vaccination efforts. When the community doesn’t see neighbors dying as they did back then, they may forget, need to share this. I think people in the US take it for granted they are healthy.
Q: What about the Pneumococcal vaccine? How can we share more about this?
You don’t hear the stories of people during from pneumonia but it is the #1 killer of children in the developing world. So why isn't pneumonia in the news? The global efforts are getting there and many people getting involved so we should all get involved more. We have tons of organizations in my country (Tanzania) and none are talking about pneumonia. We need to show up, share, and do more than treat but prevent.
Q: How can Shot@Life champions, and young professionals specifically, in the US support your work?
Recruit people to be ambassadors and use the already available platform to talk to members of congress. The US government has committed itself to global health and make sure government keeps up this promise in funding global health and Vaccination efforts need finance. GAVI has reduced the price of vaccines by shaping the market. The efforts of people with Shot@Life and others supporters advocating and raising awareness. People in the US can be a voice, talk to others, and meet with members of congress.
That’s the beauty of this thing (The Shot@Life campaign) to have a champion who’s a Mom or Dad and they share. For those without children supporting Shot@Life, they will better understand developemtn and when they have children they will be better parents and not take things for granted. These are the initiatives making people see and hear things they have never heard before.
--
We need you to help Shot@Life during this World Pneumonia Day (November 12) so join us and tell your member of Congress you support funding for the protection of children against pneumonia! Use the tweet below with an easy search function to find your member of Congress so you can tell them today!
Click here to join the ranks and #SoundOff with others about #VaccinesWork
About Shot@Life
Shot@Life, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation, educates, connects and empowers Americans to help protect children in developing countries from vaccine-preventable diseases. By joining this movement, you can help save a child’s life every 20 seconds by learning about, advocating for and donating vaccines to children who need them most. Go to ShotAtLife.org to learn more.
With United Nations Association Young Professionals, we hosted Shot@Life Director Devi Thomas in New York City, where she spoke with young professionals about the campaign efforts and how they can get more involved. Following up on this, we will be hosting, along with the Young Professionals Healthcare Network, a follow-up training with Shot@Life next week where young professionals can get more actively involved in the campaign (details here). Being a part of the Shot@Life campaign has taught me many things about vaccination efforts, how they save lives and have a tremendous impact on development, and my goal is to share this with the larger community and activate even more advocates as these safe and effective lifesavers should be available to every child around the world.
Earlier this week, in the lead up to World Pneumonia Day on November 12, I was able to sit down and speak with Dr. Namala Mkopi about pneumonia and his work promoting vaccines both as a pediatrician and as a Shot@Life Global Immunization Fellow at the UN Foundation in New York City. Shot@Life says that "pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death in children worldwide and accounts for 15% of all deaths of children under 5 years old". The prevention of pneumonia is a focus on the United Nations and Gavi, as it is critical to reducing childhood mortality. It is such a devastating disease that nearly one million children die each year. Nearly half of those deaths can be prevented with a vaccine. Dr. Mkopi discussed the progress in the fight against pneumonia in developing countries and Tanzania and challenges to these efforts. We also discussed how Shot@Life champions and supporters can enhance global vaccination efforts in their community and support these initiaitves around the world.
--
Interview with Dr. Mkopi
Q: What has inspired your work and led you to focus on championing childhood vaccines?
The most important motivation for what I do is seeing the difference we make on a day-to-day basis. Seeing children die when you know there is a vaccine that is cheap and reliable not only in my country but other developing countries and think it could have been me. Having a child makes me concerned. Knowing that children will be vaccinated means everyone is protected. Prevention instead of building infrastructure to treat as infrastructure takes years - and even with the best facilities prevention is far easier and we can do it.
Also, the amount of resources needed is high. The care and amount of resources - even parents leaving work to care for a child. All these things are too much in the country and these resources are a lot for developing countries especially. In terms of investment a vaccine is cheap and in terms of growth and development and health it is astonishing how cheap and easy vaccination is in comparison
Q: What do you think is the biggest challenge to immunization? in Tanzania? In the developing world?
The biggest challenge is getting human resources in place - in order to roll out a vaccine need everyone in place. Distance and coverage or range from these facilities is a hindrance to maximizing vaccines. Tanzania is highest in terms of coverage in our bloc. The healthcare system is solid in terms of basics and facilities-wise. But still not reaching 100% of these children. They set a target but it doesn’t mean all children. The last shot for pneumococcal vaccine, for instance, run as high as 97%. These are good numbers in Tanzania but out of five children one is not getting the vaccine - and this is in a “good” country.
We need to work to get rid of these barriers and we need to share experiences in our country why are we successful and why aren’t we vaccinating that fifth child.The use of public private partnerships boosts coverage as the government can’t always reach the whole country.This struggle in Tanzania has at least helped them to reach MDG4 at the end of last year.
Q: What do you see to be the biggest successes in getting vaccinations to developing countries?
There is the fast pace of development and we are getting there and it is important to share experiences! When you don’t see it may not know what it’s for. It helps when people realize that there is a change and advocacy and sharing stories is important in this.
Q: What would you say to a parent who his hesitant about vaccinating their child?
I don’t see that in developing countries. Many parents afraid of pneumonia and it is very common. Parents knowing that there is a vaccine to prevent this are happy and it is a good deal for them. Many people in Tanzania take vaccinating kids to be a good thing and they have seen high mortality in the past. This has gone from 100 to 49 (deaths per 1000) from vaccination efforts. When the community doesn’t see neighbors dying as they did back then, they may forget, need to share this. I think people in the US take it for granted they are healthy.
Q: What about the Pneumococcal vaccine? How can we share more about this?
You don’t hear the stories of people during from pneumonia but it is the #1 killer of children in the developing world. So why isn't pneumonia in the news? The global efforts are getting there and many people getting involved so we should all get involved more. We have tons of organizations in my country (Tanzania) and none are talking about pneumonia. We need to show up, share, and do more than treat but prevent.
Q: How can Shot@Life champions, and young professionals specifically, in the US support your work?
Recruit people to be ambassadors and use the already available platform to talk to members of congress. The US government has committed itself to global health and make sure government keeps up this promise in funding global health and Vaccination efforts need finance. GAVI has reduced the price of vaccines by shaping the market. The efforts of people with Shot@Life and others supporters advocating and raising awareness. People in the US can be a voice, talk to others, and meet with members of congress.
That’s the beauty of this thing (The Shot@Life campaign) to have a champion who’s a Mom or Dad and they share. For those without children supporting Shot@Life, they will better understand developemtn and when they have children they will be better parents and not take things for granted. These are the initiatives making people see and hear things they have never heard before.
--
We need you to help Shot@Life during this World Pneumonia Day (November 12) so join us and tell your member of Congress you support funding for the protection of children against pneumonia! Use the tweet below with an easy search function to find your member of Congress so you can tell them today!
Click here to join the ranks and #SoundOff with others about #VaccinesWork
About Shot@Life
Shot@Life, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation, educates, connects and empowers Americans to help protect children in developing countries from vaccine-preventable diseases. By joining this movement, you can help save a child’s life every 20 seconds by learning about, advocating for and donating vaccines to children who need them most. Go to ShotAtLife.org to learn more.
Melinda Richardson is the Chair of the United Nations Association Young Professionals, Southern New York State Division and is a Shot@Life Champion. She visited the Philippines on a Shot@Life trip in spring 2015 and saw firsthand the incredible work being done in childhood vaccination efforts and wants to continue to share these important stories and help others join the campaign.
Follow on Twitter | Connect on LinkedIn | Website
Follow on Twitter | Connect on LinkedIn | Website