ARK launches first comprehensive anti-diarrhoea programme in Sub Saharan Africa

ARK has partnered with the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, and mobilised the support of the Ministry of Health, DFID, GAVI Alliance, GSK and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to create a $12m programme to dramatically reduce childhood death from diarrhoea.

Today in Lusaka, Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, Dr Joseph Kasonde, will vaccinate Zambia's first child against rotavirus, the deadliest cause of diarrhoea in children. In doing so, he launches the first comprehensive anti-diarrhoea programme in Sub Saharan Africa to combat a disease which kills more children globally than malaria, AIDS and measles combined. In Zambia alone, 40 children die every single day from diarrhoea.

Working together effectively to save lives

Andrew Mitchell, British Secretary of State for International Development, a staunch supporter of private sector involvement, said:

"ARK's hard work in Zambia will have a huge impact on tackling diarrhoea, one of the major killers of children under the age of five in poor countries. Vaccinations are one of the best buys in development. Bill Gates - a man who knows a thing or two about sound investments - is clear that he shares the UK's commitment to vaccinating children in the developing world against preventable diseases which claim millions of lives every year."

Investing in effective, innovative and scaleable programmes

This breakthrough programme will see over 750,000 children vaccinated, 550 new health workers trained and communities supported in how to better prevent their children from falling sick. If adopted throughout the region and continent, models such as this could lead to our generation being the first to end the devastating toll of preventable diseases on children.

Calling on Davos leaders to play their part

This programme launch is timely: as Davos leaders prepare to meet, with just three years to the millennium development goals deadline, ARK's programme in Zambia sets out an innovative partnership model to accelerate action for children in the developing world. 

ARK International Director, Charles Abani, said:

"Davos brings together the best of global business leaders who could, and should, play a vital role in accelerating action and meeting the aid pledge to reduce child mortality by two-thirds by 2015.
ARK has been a catalyst in Zambia, working for the last year to line up the resources and forge the partnerships. This programme shows it is more than possible to overcome the challenges of a resource-constrained world by working together more effectively."

"Preventable diseases are just that - preventable. To be the generation that ends their toll on children's lives, we need to rapidly adopt and scale-up new ways of working together.  The private sector's role in that acceleration has never been more vital."