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GSK and Save the Children:

Working together to tackle coronavirus

Co-written by Kevin Watkins and Phil Thomson (President, Global Affairs, GSK)

In the space of a few short months the COVID-19 pandemic has spread to almost every country in the world, bringing grief, suffering, and economic chaos in its wake.

This should have been the start of a decade of delivery, following calls-to-action for world leaders to come together and help meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to tackle poverty, inequality and create a sustainable and peaceful world.

Instead, health systems have been rapidly overwhelmed, economic pressures have mounted - and there is now a real and present danger that millions of children could be thrown into poverty, robbed of their education, and subjected to devastating new health threats.

Using our combined forces for good

Save the Children and GSK have been working in partnership since 2013 to support children and their communities in 46 countries. Combining Save the Children’s 100 years of experience working with children in times of crisis with GSK’s expertise in the research, development and supply of medicines and vaccinations, we have reached almost 3 million children.

This long-standing partnership has enabled us to train health workers, help strengthen health systems and support and educate parents – all factors that are critical in helping support communities affected by COVID-19.

Our joint responsibilities

From helping remote communities in Ethiopia access life-saving vaccines to providing families in the UK with tools to improve their children’s home learning environments, we already have established ways of supporting those who need us most.

When COVID-19 hit, our on-the-ground presence and collective resources enabled us to quickly adapt, scale and develop interventions to support vulnerable populations affected by the crisis. Our joint responsibility is to ensure that during the COVID-19 pandemic, community-based interventions are strengthened and prioritised, helping minimise transmission, protect health workers and maintain essential services which save lives.

Together we have created a COVID-19 Response Fund of £1.5m to contribute to Save the Children’s Global COVID-19 Appeal as well as to strengthen existing programmes in Yemen, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

GSK and Save the Children employees across the globe have shown their support through individual fundraising and donations, and we’re hugely grateful to them.

Continuing to work together

By building on our partnership’s foundations, we will continue to adapt to the world’s changing needs, ultimately ensuring that children around the world stay healthy, keep learning and remain protected even in these most trying times.  They need us now more than ever – and they deserve the best we have to give. 

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