Eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus

A mere $1.20 prevents the death of a mother and her future babies from tetanus. Yet 180,000 infants and 30,000 women still die each year from the disease, easily preventible through immunization and hygienic birth practices. Despite progress made by the partnership of UNICEF, WHO, the UN Population Fund and others since 1999, and the proven effectiveness of the ‘high-risk approach’ that uses supplementary immunization in specific remote or underserved areas, the disease is still a threat in more than 52 countries.