NICARAGUA: American actress Anne Hathaway campaigns in Nicaragua for immunizing children against hepatitis 'A'
- 00:01:23
- ITN Source
NICARAGUA: American actress Anne Hathaway campaigns in Nicaragua for immunizing children against hepatitis 'A'
American actress Anne Hathaway visited San Marcos, a village 45 kilometers south of Managua on Tuesday (July 25) to campaign for immunizing children against hepatitis A. Hathaway, who costars with Meryl Streep in the newly released 'The Devil Wears Prada', a charming insight into the high fashion world, assisted with boyfriend Raffaello Follieri in the vaccination of 1,000 children in Nicaragua against hepatitis A, an infectious inflammation of the liver associated with inadequate water supplies and poor sanitation and hygiene. "We know, it has been proven, that it would have a widespread effect; If you vaccinate one child that you greatly heighten the chance, you bring immunity into their family because as we all know diseases are spread very easily among children. So by doing this we are actually vaccinating far more than a thousand children and we are just so grateful to be given this opportunity," said Hathaway. The illness causes fever, nausea and jaundice. The majority of cases are not fatal, but babies and toddlers are at the most risk and the illness can last for up to several months. The World Health Organization says that in developing countries with poor hygiene conditions, nearly all children are infected with Hepatitis A before the age of nine, however in the majority of cases it goes undetected because of a lack of symptoms. In most developing countries, Hepatitis A is not a real public health priority, due to the low mortality rates of the disease. Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the Americas, with a weak agriculture-based economy. The country has struggled to overcome the effects of civil war, dictatorship and the widespread devastation of Hurricane Mitch in 1998. As well as supported the charity work of her boyfriend, Hathaway has also been involved in several projects of her. The bright 23-year-old is an honoree of women's empowerment organization the Step Up Women's Network, and is also an advisor for the Lollipop Theater Network, that screens movies in hospitals for the terminally ill. She was also the first to suggest that the star wardrobes seen on 'The Devil Wears Prada' should be sold for charity. Hathaway gained widespread recognition for her 2001 starring role in chick flick 'The Princess Diaries'. Since then she has worked in films such 'The Devil Wears Prada' and the award-winning 'Brokeback Mountain.' Raffaello Follieri is an Italian entrepreneur currently the Vice President of EFFE Holdings, a London-based investment firm active in real estate, oil trading and gold and diamond mining. The couple travelled in a private jet, and only remained in the country for one day, just enough time to visit the Ave Maria College of the Americas in Carazo, hold a press conference and hold a private lunch with the promoters of the immunization program.
ITN Source | July 27, 2006
