Group launched to tackle the global problem of childhood pneumococcal pneumonia and meningitis (14 Mar 2007)

MEDIA RELEASE - London, U.K., March 14, 2007 The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pneumococcal Disease Prevention in the Developing World was launched today at Portcullis House to address the urgent need to improve child survival and stop the devastating impact of pneumococcal pneumonia and meningitis in the developing world.

The chair of the Group Dr. Des Turner, MP said: "The group has been created because MPs and peers were shocked that pneumococcal pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis currently kill up to 1 million children each year in the developing world. This group will be a catalyst to speed up the process of getting pneumococcal vaccines to the children who so desperately need them.

"The parliamentarians that constitute the APPG will work to raise awareness amongst their colleagues nationally, across Europe and around the world about pneumococcal disease, its prevention through vaccination, and international efforts to ensure sustainable financing."

Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development, said: "The creation of this group will help to raise the profile of pneumococcal disease and the impact that it has in poorer countries. Many of the 1.6 million annual deaths as a result of pneumococcal disease occur in the world's poorest countries, children are the most affected group. Pneumococcal disease is preventable, and a child's illness affects the whole family.

"The UK government has demonstrated its commitment to tackling pneumococcal disease. We are a major supporter of GAVI and I am pleased that the first Advance Market Commitment (AMC) will be for a pneumococcal vaccine which will save the lives of an estimated 5.4 million children by 2030. This is a momentous step forward, however there is still much work to be done to educate people on the burden of the disease and its impact on the world's poorest people."

Dr. Thomas Cherian, Coordinator of the Expanded Programme on Immunization Plus, WHO Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals and speaker at the launch, said: "I see the impact of this disease on a daily basis. More than 90% of pneumococcal pneumonia deaths in children occur in developing countries. In Africa for example pneumococcal disease claims the lives of hundreds of thousands of children each year. More significantly in Africa where the incidence of HIV/AIDS is high, children who have HIV/AIDS are up to 40 times more likely to get pneumococcal disease.

"Fortunately there is a vaccine that has been proven safe and effective which can prevent pneumococcal disease. Furthermore through innovative finance mechanisms such as an Advanced Market Commitment (AMC) we have the potential to save the lives of 5.4 million children by 2030 through the use of extended protection vaccines."

"By the end of 2006, the partners of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation have collectively prevented the deaths of 2.3 million children, a remarkable achievement" said Marc Hofstetter, Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the GAVI Alliance. "However, to reach the Millennium Development Goal on child health - which calls for reducing childhood mortality by two-thirds by 2015 - we must dramatically reduce child mortality in the coming years. Ensuring children's access to a pneumococcal vaccine in developing countries is a crucial step towards this goal." The mandate of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation is to accelerate availability of current and new vaccines for children in poor developing nations.

Dr. Orin Levine, Executive Director, GAVI's PneumoADIP, said the formation of this group is an exciting step forward. "The Group will support growing efforts to reduce the time it takes for children in developing countries to benefit from the protection that pneumococcal vaccines offer children living in industrialised countries."

Notes to editors:

1. For further information about pneumococcal disease and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pneumococcal Disease Prevention in the Developing World, please visit: www.preventpneumo.org or www.appg-preventpneumo.org

For the full transcript of the Rt Hon Hilary Benn's speech go to: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/Speeches/hilary-diseasemar07.asp

2. Available for interview:

• Dr. Des Turner, MP - Chair of the APPG on Pneumococcal Disease Prevention in the Developing World
• Dr. Thomas Cherian - Coordinator of the Expanded Programme on Immunization Plus, WHO Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals
• Marc Hofstetter - Deputy Executive Secretary, Chief Operating Officer, GAVI Alliance
• Dr. Orin Levine - Executive Director, GAVI's PneumoADIP

For further information or to organise an interview, please contact:

Nick Osborne
Consultant
Ruder Finn
Mobile: +44 (0)789 453 4533
Email: nosborne@ruderfinn.co.uk