Nutrition International, Teck and Global Affairs Canada renew partnership to save children’s lives with zinc treatments

September 28, 2017

OTTAWA, CANADA – September 28, 2017 - Nutrition International, Teck Resources Limited (Teck) and Global Affairs Canada today announce a renewed partnership to reach millions of children with zinc treatments to help save lives in Senegal, Ethiopia, Kenya and Bangladesh.

This renewed partnership in the Zinc Alliance for Child Health (ZACH), which first launched in 2011, will further increase access to zinc and oral rehydration salt (ORS) for diarrhoea treatment. Nutrition International is providing program support as well as allocating $3M CAD in funding, received from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), to a public-private partnership with Teck, who has contributed $1M CAD.

“Millions of children to date have received life-saving zinc treatments through this partnership, but we know there is more work to be done and more children who need help,” said Don Lindsay, President and CEO, Teck. “We are proud to be renewing this successful collaboration with the Government of Canada and Nutrition International to reach even more children in need and save more lives.”

The partnership between Nutrition International, Teck and GAC demonstrates how public-private-civil society alliances can take an active role to help save the lives of children and achieve significant results. Building on the successes of the first ZACH program, the partnership will sustain zinc and ORS coverage and improve care-seeking for childhood diarrhoeal diseases in Kenya, Ethiopia, Senegal and Bangladesh, aiming to administer more than 44 million zinc and ORS treatments and educate more than 61,000 health workers.

“High impact partnerships such as ZACH, which brings together the expertise and resources of the not-for-profit, government and private sectors, are key to getting lifesaving interventions to those who need them most,” said Nutrition International President and CEO Joel Spicer. “Diarrhoea remains a leading killer of children under five, claiming the lives of more than half a million children annually. Nutrition International is pleased to continue its partnership with Teck and the Government of Canada to save lives, and help kids thrive.”

Zinc and ORS is the World Health Organization recommended treatment for childhood diarrhoea, as it helps children recover faster, resist the disease for longer periods and have fewer episodes per year. In the last five years alone, ZACH has helped treat 44 million episodes of childhood diarrhoea among children under five.

Teck is committed to raising awareness and helping solve the global health issue of zinc deficiency. To learn more about Teck’s Zinc & Health program, visit www.zincsaveslives.com

About Nutrition International

Founded in 1992, Nutrition International is a global organization dedicated to delivering proven nutrition interventions to those who need them most. Working in partnership with countries, donors and implementers, our experts conduct cutting-edge nutrition research, support critical policy formulation, and integrate nutrition into broader development programs. In more than 60 countries, primarily in Asia and Africa, Nutrition International nourishes people to nourish life. Find out more at www.nutritionintl.org

About Teck

Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. The pursuit of sustainability guides Teck’s approach to business. Teck is building partnerships and capacity to confront sustainability challenges within the regions in which we operate and at the global level. Teck is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, and its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TECK.A and TECK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TECK.

For more information:
 
Amanda Keenan
Communications Officer
Nutrition International                                            
+1 613-782-6808
akeenan@nutritionintl.org

Chris Stannell
Senior Communications Specialist
Teck Resources Limited
604-699-4368
Chris.stannell@teck.com