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TORONTO — This flu season, Rexall is partnering with Amref Health Africa to launch "Shot For Shot," a campaign to provide life-saving vaccinations to children.
The Canadian drug chain said Thursday that for every flu shot administered by a Rexall pharmacist, it will make a donation toward delivering vaccines to northern Uganda, where vaccination rates are well below World Health Organization targets.
"Rexall is committed to improving the health and well-being of our patients and the communities we serve, and getting a flu shot is the most effective way to stay healthy this flu season," Rexall chief executive officer Frank Scorpiniti said in a statement. "Our ability to have social impact is not limited to our borders. We hope Canadians will join us in our efforts to deliver life-saving vaccinations to children that need it most by getting the flu shot."
Citing research from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rexall noted that one in five children worldwide lack access to life-saving immunizations and that a child dies every 20 seconds around the world from a vaccine-preventable disease. In Uganda, 48% of children under age 5 not immunized or are underimmunized, according to the 2011 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey.
"We are proud to partner with Rexall to deliver much-needed vaccinations to children in northern Uganda, a region with low childhood immunization rates. And we are pleased to be working in partnership with Uganda’s Ministry of Health as part of its scheduled vaccination campaign," stated Anne-Marie Kamanye, executive director of Amref Health Africa in Canada. "Statistics show that vaccination rates in northern Uganda are well below World Health Organization targets. We are working with communities and the government to change these numbers and welcome the support of Canadians through Rexall’s Shot for Shot program."
