Uganda announces elimination of Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus

Uganda today announced that it has eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT). The country is the 20th to do so since 2000.“This is a historic achievement for Uganda, and the Government should be applauded for their commitment to eliminating this killer disease,” said Dr. Sharad Sapra, UNICEF Uganda Country Representative. “We are also very grateful to our partners in the Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination Initiative. It is through these kinds of innovative partnerships that we can truly make a difference in the lives of so many.” Between 2002 and 2009, 25 high-risk districts in Uganda were targeted for intervention, and close to two million women of child bearing age received three doses of tetanus vaccines in those areas. In compliance with the World Health Organization’s guidelines, the most at-risk district for MNT in a given country must have no recorded cases for a specific period of time in order...