Walgreens Donation Helps Provide 35,000 Doses of Flu Vaccine to At-Risk Populations in Laos and Nicaragua
June 17 2013 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
Building upon a successful public-private initiative to help
create greater access to seasonal flu vaccine in developing
countries, Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq: WAG) today announced a
donation to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to help
make 35,000 doses of flu vaccine available to at-risk populations
in Laos and Nicaragua.
Working with PAHO and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), the collaborative effort will help the countries
develop or expand their vaccination programs. Its primary focus
will be target populations identified as high risk for flu
complications, including pregnant women. In addition, the effort
will help bring guidance to a third country, Uganda, in
establishing a future influenza vaccination program.
The donation furthers Walgreens commitment to provide vaccine to
populations in need, one year after the drugstore chain
collaborated with the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) to
donate flu vaccine to Laos. Last year in Laos, more than 90 percent
of the donated flu vaccine was administered over a two-week period,
and in follow-up surveys a vast majority of people said they’d get
vaccinated again.
“Last year’s success was an example of what public-private
partnerships can accomplish. This year, this partnership has been
able to expand further with new donors and new partner countries.
Because of this, people at risk for severe influenza will be
protected for the first time,” says Dr. Joseph Bresee, chief of the
Epidemiology and Prevention Branch in CDC’s Influenza Division.
“Flu shots and adult immunizations are a great example of how
we’re transforming the role of community pharmacy and through this
donation, we hope to help improve immunization rates among more
populations in need in other parts of the world,” said Kermit
Crawford, Walgreens president of pharmacy, health and wellness.
“Flu arrived earlier and was more severe in the U.S. this past
season. By collaborating with government and health officials,
we’ve had an opportunity to create greater access to vaccine in
underserved communities across America, and this effort furthers
our mission to help more people get, stay and live well.”
Following this year’s program, the Lao Ministry of Health and
Nicaragua Ministry of Health will work with CDC to conduct
evaluations of the impact of the vaccination programs.
Understanding the benefits of influenza vaccination will help build
commitments for sustainable vaccine programs in the partner
countries.
Walgreens, the largest retail provider of flu shots in the U.S.,
donated $10 million worth of seasonal flu vaccine vouchers this flu
season to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help
drive immunization rates among underserved populations throughout
the country. HHS also assisted the drugstore chain in the
distribution of seasonal flu vaccine vouchers in select markets
throughout the country the last three years, which provided free
flu vaccinations for the uninsured and underinsured.
About Walgreens
As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2012 sales
of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to become
America’s first choice for health and daily living. Each day,
Walgreens provides more than 6 million customers the most
convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and
trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and
advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy
services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and
mail service, along with respiratory services. These services help
improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including
employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy
benefit managers and the public sector. The company operates 8,096
drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto
Rico. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is
the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and
wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more
than 700 locations throughout the country.
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