Shot@Life Newsletter: October 2020
While the whole world is anxiously anticipating the approval and rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine, we continue to advocate for ensuring access to current lifesaving vaccines against measles, polio, rotavirus and pneumonia.
World Polio Day
On October 24, we celebrated World Polio Day and the tremendous progress that has been made to protect children and eradicate this disease, thanks to global cooperation. Over the past three decades, the polio program has worked hard toward global polio eradication, eliminating 99.9% of cases. This achievement is a true testament to the power of collective action and demonstrates what can happen when we work toward the common goal of creating a healthier world.
19 million people who would otherwise be paralyzed by polio are walking.
1.5 million lives have been saved, thanks to the polio vaccine.
A major highlight this year was the elimination of wild poliovirus from the entire African region.
As the world awaits the development of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, it is reminiscent of nearly 60 years ago, when the world was also waiting in eager anticipation of a polio vaccine to stop a disease that was paralyzing children globally. Thankfully, health systems have improved in the last 60 years and global health partners are connected and ready to get progress back on track after the pandemic. With your continued support, global polio eradication is possible. Let’s #EndPolio together.
You can learn more about how the fight to end polio can help COVID-19 recovery in our World Polio Day Blog.
UNGA75: Key Issues Discussed
This year’s 75th United Nations General Assembly, the first virtual assembly, was a springboard to committing to evolved forms of global cooperation, with new voices, new partnerships, and new actions to help us all recover better, keep us safe in the future, and achieve the vision of the world we want. If this pandemic has showed us anything, it is that global problems require global solutions and the United Nations is now more important than ever.
Our staff at the UN Foundation have compiled a list of the key issues discussed at UNGA this year – from the COVID-19 pandemic to the Sustainable Development Goals, the Climate Emergency, Gender Inequality, and the 75th Anniversary of the UN. You can read more here.
A Look Ahead
September 1 – December 8: Walgreens Get a Shot. Give a Shot is running for the 8th year this Fall. For every immunization administered in a Walgreens pharmacy, Walgreens will donate the cost of a vaccine to Shot@Life, up to a total of $2.6M. To learn more or to find a Walgreens pharmacy near you, click here.
November 12: World Pneumonia Day, an annual day of recognition in the fight against pneumonia.
November 16: The UN Foundation’s 2020 Global Dialogues– Bold Leadership for a Better Future. This will be a flagship virtual gathering of private sector leaders, UN leadership, and change agents across industries and sectors who are driving progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Martha Rebour
Martha Rebour joined the UN Foundation in June 2014. As Executive Director, she oversees campaign strategy and implementation, corporate partnerships, advocacy and communications activities of the campaign. Prior to joining the Foundation, Martha worked for 15 years in strategic branding, digital and social media marketing, messaging, creative development, partnership building, and consumer research for corporate and nonprofit clients. While at Discovery Channel, Martha crafted multi-million dollar marketing campaigns around events such as Shark Week and the award-winning series Planet Earth. In her spare time Martha enjoys cooking, reading contemporary fiction, and spending time traveling and being outside with her family.