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DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. has teamed up with the United Nations Foundation to launch "Get a Shot. Give a Shot," a campaign to provide life-saving vaccines to children in developing countries.
Walgreens said that the campaign, now in its second year, is being extended to become a year-round initiative.
Through Oct. 13, for every flu shot or other immunization administered at Walgreens pharmacies, Healthcare Clinic or Duane Reade pharmacies, the drug chain will donate the value of a life-saving vaccine via the U.N. Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign.
The overall goal is to donate the value of 6 million life-saving vaccines, twice the number provided last year through the program with the help of Walgreens customers.
" ‘Get a Shot. Give a Shot’ truly demonstrates the value of public/private collaboration and creates a unique opportunity for our customers to play an important role in helping to protect millions of children in developing countries from vaccine-preventable diseases," Kermit Crawford, president of pharmacy, health and wellness at Walgreens, said in a statement. "So many countries are seeing decreases in childhood mortality as a result of higher immunization rates for measles and other diseases. And we’re proud to expand our relationship with the U.N. Foundation to carry our purpose to help people get, stay and live well beyond the U.S. and to other parts of the world."
Shot@Life is a movement to protect children worldwide by providing life-saving vaccines where they are needed most. The campaign partners with many organizations and corporations to broaden U.S. support for immunizations against diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and polio to children in developing countries. Together, these partners are working with Shot@Life to benefit UNICEF, the World Health Organization and other implementing partners to save lives and improve the health of millions of children around the world.
According to Walgreens, statistics show that one in five children worldwide lack access to life-saving immunizations, and a child dies every 20 seconds from a vaccine-preventable disease. Coordinated worldwide vaccination efforts have made significant progress, particularly reducing cases of measles and polio.
"Vaccines are one of the most cost-effective ways to improve the lives of children in developing countries by protecting them from life-threatening diseases," stated Kathy Calvin, president and chief executive officer of the U.N. Foundation. "With access to vaccines, families are healthier, economies are stronger and governments are more stable. By expanding our partnership with Walgreens, we can continue to help children reach their full potential, while creating more prosperous, resilient communities."
Walgreens locations in most states offer a wide range of 17 CDC-recommended vaccines, including those to protect against shingles, pneumonia, pertussis (whooping cough), meningitis, hepatitis and others.
"Our pharmacists, along with Healthcare Clinic nurse practitioners, are providing unprecedented access to immunizations and other important preventive health and wellness services," commented Brad Wasson, group vice president, pharmacy, health and wellness at Walgreens. "We continue to develop innovative programs and initiatives aimed at improving immunization rates, and it’s gratifying to see the impact Walgreens is making in the U.S. and, increasingly, across the globe."
