Takeda Selects Shot@Life for Annual Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program, Supporting Immunization and Universal Health Coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The United Nations Foundation's Shot@Life campaign, which helps expand access to life-saving childhood vaccines globally, is proud to share an expanded partnership with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, to enhance disease surveillance systems and strengthen immunization programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. These efforts are critical to achieving Universal Health Coverage as part of the Sustainable Development Goals and providing every child the opportunity for a healthy future. Takeda's vision to serve patients, wherever they are, drives its increased commitments to disease prevention, capacity building, and access to healthcare in developing and emerging countries. This commitment is clear in its 550 million yen pledge (over US$ 5 million) to Shot@Life.

"Vaccines are one of global health's biggest success stories, saving millions of lives," said Kathy Calvin, President and CEO of the United Nations Foundation. "We've made important progress to date, but we can't stop now. We have to protect the progress we've made and strengthen healthcare and immunizations for millions of children in need. Takeda's ongoing commitment will help track and respond to the spread of disease and protect children."

Takeda's partnership with the UN Foundation's Shot@Life campaign will strengthen health systems in Sub-Saharan Africa through improved disease surveillance and data utilization enabling effective immunization planning and outbreak response.

Strong disease surveillance systems are critical to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), given that they provide governments and public health decision makers with the data they need to ensure that all people and communities have access to health services. This data is particularly important in the context of infectious disease outbreaks, during which government officials must act quickly and decisively to prevent the spread of disease. Even when countries have robust immunization systems overall, relatively weak surveillance systems can compromise the delivery of life-saving vaccines. Strengthened health systems, management and evaluation approaches, and improved policies can help address critical gaps in national immunization systems. These measures help ensure that every child receives life-saving vaccinations, moving countries closer to achieving UHC.

Takeda's support of global health programs does not end with their support of the UN Foundation. In early June, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited became the first private sector company to announce a financial commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria's Sixth Replenishment. The pledge, consisting of JP¥ 1 billion (approximately US$ 9 million) over five years, builds on Takeda's previous contribution to the Global Fund, and is an important demonstration of how we must all step up the fight to achieve health and well-being for all.

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About Shot@Life
Shot@Life is a grassroots advocacy campaign of the United Nations Foundation that champions global childhood immunization as one of the most effective ways to save the lives of children around the world. We rally members of the public, members of Congress, businesses, and civil society partners — through public education, grassroots advocacy, and fundraising — to support and invest in the global childhood immunization programs. Go to ShotAtLife.org to learn more.

About the United Nations Foundation
The United Nations Foundation acts as a strategic partner to help the United Nations mobilize the ideas, people, and resources it needs to drive global progress and tackle urgent challenges. We focus on issues at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals, build initiatives across sectors to solve problems at scale, and engage citizens who seek action. Founded in 1998 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner, the UN Foundation works with philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual partners. Learn more at: http://www.unfoundation.org.

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Gastroenterology (GI), Rare Diseases, and Neuroscience. We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in healthcare in approximately 80 countries and regions. For more information, visit http://www.takeda.com

Takeda's Global CSR Program, its flagship CSR activity, makes multi-year commitments in partnership with key global stakeholders. The Program is rooted in the company's patient-centricity and dedication to disease prevention and the improvement of access to healthcare that transforms people's lives in developing and emerging countries. Since its launch in 2016, the Global CSR Program has been delivering tangible results, contributing significantly to global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Results range from expanding patient's access to quality diagnosis and treatment, including immunization, in disease-endemic countries to training health workers and strengthening health systems worldwide. For more information visit https://www.takeda.com/corporate-responsibility/.

SOURCE UN Foundation

Related Links

http://www.unfoundation.org