Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) elimination
The partnership
A strong partnership
The Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination Initiative was launched by UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA in 1999, revitalizing the goal of MNT elimination as a public health problem. The definition of MNT elimination as a public health problem is defined as less than one NT case per 1000 live births in every district. Maternal tetanus is assumed to be eliminated once NT elimination has been achieved
Within the partnership, each partner brings in its own field of expertise:
- Countries: implementation of recommended strategies
- UNICEF: coordination of accelerated activities and strengthening routine immunization to achieve and maintain MNT elimination
- UNFPA: promotion of clean deliveries
- WHO: monitoring and validation of elimination status, development of strategies for maintaining elimination and strengthening routine immunization
The UNICEF/WHO/UNFPA strategy document published in 2000, identified 59 countries* that had not yet achieved MNT elimination. Significant progress has been made since that time, however, as of November 2012, MNT remains a major public health problem in 31 countries**
*Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic (the), Chad, China, Comoros (the), Congo (the), Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo (the), Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic (the), Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger (the), Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines (the), Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania (the), Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe - Timor-Leste and South Sudan increased the number of countries to 59
**see programmatic update section - MNT eliminated in Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Burkina Faso, China, Comoros, Congo (the), Egypt, Eritrea, Guniea-Bissau, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe, (Ethiopia (all except Somali region), 15 States and Union Territories in India (Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu & West Bengal) 18/24 Provinces in Indonesia
