Westport, CT (Tuesday, July 12, 2005) -- Save the Children, a global humanitarian organization, has been chosen by the WGBH Educational Foundation and Vulcan Productions as a major partner in Rx for Child Survival -- a groundbreaking national campaign to save the lives of 6 million children under age 5 in the developing world.

The campaign was launched today in conjunction with a fall 2005 PBS series Rx for Survival — A Global Health Challenge. The series, produced by the WGBH/NOVA Science Unit and Vulcan Productions, will premiere on PBS stations November 1-3, 2005.

As part of the campaign, beginning today, Save the Children through Rx for Child Survival will be offering an innovative opportunity for millions of Americans to help children under 5 in developing countries survive and thrive by supporting "child survival packs" that provide the five basic health interventions that every child needs. These health interventions include:

• Vaccinations to fight childhood diseases, including measles and tetanus
• Vitamin A and other micronutrients to help fight infection and prevent nutritional deficiencies
• Oral rehydration packets to help reduce diarrhea-related illness and deaths
• Antibiotics to fight pneumonia, and anti-malarial drugs
• Insecticide-treated bed netting to stop mosquitoes that carry malaria

Save the Children has arranged to provide these five life-saving interventions to children in need through its programs in the field. Rx for Child Survival has created three different "child survival packs" that represent the five important health interventions. People can donate $250 for a "neighbor pack" that can help strengthen the health of children in several families; $100 for a "family pack" that can help a child and his or her siblings survive; and $25 for a "child pack" that can help a child have a fighting chance to live to age 5. Frequently asked questions about the child survival packs can be found at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/rxforsurvival/faq-campaign.html.

Experts agree that many of the 6 million children under 5 who die each year could be saved if they had access to these five simple, affordable measures. Additionally, where it is appropriate, Save the Children will educate pregnant women and new mothers about the health value of exclusive and immediate breastfeeding.

Donations to Rx for Child Survival can be made through various web sites: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/rxforsurvival/ or www.savethechildren.org, and by calling 1-800-242-4483.

"In the next 24 hours, 30,000 children under age 5 in the poorest countries will die from causes like diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia that would be unthinkable as a threat to children's health in the United States," said Charles MacCormack, President and CEO of Save the Children. "We know Americans care about the well-being of the world's children. Rx for Child Survival offers an unprecedented opportunity for Americans to join together to help prevent these needless deaths by going online to support our efforts."

Save the Children and CARE have been chosen as fulfillment partners for Rx for Child Survival. Save the Children will provide these health interventions to children in Afghanistan, Mali and Vietnam. If enough funds are raised through Rx for Child Survival, Save the Children plans to expand this life-saving effort to children in Bolivia and Ethiopia as well.

Rx for Child Survival is supported by a mobilization and grassroots outreach effort featuring distinguished partners such as the Global Health Council, the U.S. Coalition for Child Survival, and Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., Rotary International and UNICEF. In addition, 21 PBS stations throughout the country have formed community coalitions with branches of the national partners and local community groups to hold activities to raise awareness and action on global health and child survival issues in their own neighborhoods.

Major funding for Rx for Survival and Rx for Child Survival are provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The Merck Company Foundation.

Donate to Support Rx for Child Survival

™2005 WGBH Educational Foundation and Vulcan Productions, Inc. Major funding for Rx for Survival – A Global Health Challenge has been provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Merck Company Foundation.