Doctors Without Borders Vaccinates Child Refugees in Greece
Loretta Itri, MD, has overseen the approval process of pharmaceutical treatments for infectious diseases, anesthesia, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, Dr. Loretta Itri is a supporter of the nongovernmental organization, Doctors without Borders (DWB).
In collaboration with vaccine producers Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, DWB obtained thousands of doses of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) at a fraction of the retail price to inoculate young refugees in camps on the Greek islands of Chios, Samos, and Lesbos. The conditions of the camps put children at a high risk of developing pneumonia, which is one of the leading causes of early childhood death.
The low-cost vaccines were procured through the Humanitarian Mechanism, which supplies organizations such as the World Health Organization, Save the Children, and UNICEF with discounted vaccines to address humanitarian crises. The DWB Greek vaccination campaign is the first time the Humanitarian Mechanism has been used in Europe.
In collaboration with vaccine producers Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, DWB obtained thousands of doses of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) at a fraction of the retail price to inoculate young refugees in camps on the Greek islands of Chios, Samos, and Lesbos. The conditions of the camps put children at a high risk of developing pneumonia, which is one of the leading causes of early childhood death.
The low-cost vaccines were procured through the Humanitarian Mechanism, which supplies organizations such as the World Health Organization, Save the Children, and UNICEF with discounted vaccines to address humanitarian crises. The DWB Greek vaccination campaign is the first time the Humanitarian Mechanism has been used in Europe.
