Every Child Deserves a Fair Shot: Let's #AskPharma !

As a mom I have always wanted the best for my daughter. The moment she was born, my husband and I made sure that we got the best paediatrician for her. We're so thankful that we were given one of the bests in town. Of course, part of securing the healthy growth of an infant is the required vaccines that the baby should get. Though the cost was (and still is) quite exorbitant, as parents, my husband and I did our very best to ensure that our daughter would get the shots she needed. Yes, shots are expensive, but what could we do? We didn't know any better.

Last March 19th, I was one of the mommy bloggers at Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières Knowledge Sharing Session held at the The Linden Suite. 

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare. They offer assistance to people based on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. It was founded in Paris, France in 1971. In 1999, MSF started the Access Campaign aiming to increase access to - and the development of - affordable, practical and effective drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests for diseases that affect people in places where they work.

Dr. Kitts Sarte, a paediatrician who's been working with MSF for 8 years now.

The main speaker was Dr. Kitts Sarte, a paediatrician who has been working with MSF for 8 years now. She helped the mommy participants understand about pneumonia, the availability of the vaccine and its cost and the current situation of pneumonia cases in the Philippines.

PCV in the Philippines

#AskPharma is an MSF's global advocacy to help developing countries and humanitarians access affordable life-saving pneumonia vaccines (PCV). Since the current price of PCV is very expensive ($150), MSF through #AskPharma is campaigning for lower vaccine prices. The cost to vaccinate a child has increased dramatically in recent years: many countries struggle to absorb the rising costs, while others can't afford to introduce certain vaccines.

Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) are the only two producers of this life-saving PCV. They have collectively reported more than US$28 billion in global sales from PCV. It's time for them to lower the price of the pneumonia vaccine to $5 per child for all developing countries and humanitarian actors. 

You can make a difference. I believe that every child deserves a fair shot. By signing the petition, you are supporting a child's basic right to life. Add your voice to this campaign and make a difference in the life of a child. On April 24th, MSF will hand over the petition to Pfizer and GSK. Share this link and ask your friends, families and others to sign the petition. Let our voice be heard! 

Note: All facts and figures stated are taken from MSF fact sheet.