McCann Health Hosts Dignitaries from UN Secretary General's Every Woman, Every Child Initiative at 2013 Cannes Lions Festival

CANNES, France, June 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- McCann Health is gearing up for the launch of Lions Health in 2014 by hosting meetings with dignitaries from the U.N. Secretary General's Every Woman Every Child effort and top global creative leaders this week at the 2013 Cannes Lions Creative Festival. The goal: to highlight the importance of bringing creative ideas and solutions to improve the health and wellbeing of millions of women and children across the developing world.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130618/NY33807 )

Her Excellency Mrs Toyin Saraki of Nigeria, a leading advocate for the U.N.'s Every Woman Every Child effort and Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, will speak about the importance of bringing private sector approaches toward creating demand for health products and services.  Stephen Sobhani, Director of Private Sector Engagement for Every Woman Every Child, will speak about the future of public-private partnerships in addressing important maternal and child health challenges in Africa.  

"McCann Health is playing a critical role in reducing maternal and childhood mortality," said H.E. Toyin Saraki.  "By using commercial approaches toward creating demand for essential medicines and services, they are helping the public and private sector achieve our goals to ensure that no woman or child die needlessly from preventable conditions."

"With less than 1000 days to reach the Millennium Development Goals, we are grateful for partners such as McCann Health to provide their insights, talent and resources as we jointly tackle these difficult health challenges," said Stephen Sobhani. 

"We are honored to have two important representatives of the U.N. Secretary General here with us today to discuss how to focus the creative community around important health issues such as maternal and child health," said John Cahill, Global CEO of McCann Health.  "We see incredible opportunities to harness the energy, innovation and creative resources of marketing and advertising professionals from the public and private sector to uncover innovative ways to create and sustain healthy outcomes across Africa and Asia." 

About The Wellbeing Foundation:
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) is a leading frontline African Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) and empowerment organization, dedicated to transforming the lives of women and children through advocacy and action. WBFA achieves this goal by forming strategic partnerships and engaging local and international stakeholders while providing practical support interventions and tools such as the WBFAIMNCH Personal Health Record©. Committed to health, education, women's empowerment and social welfare, WBFA, founded by Mrs. Toyin Saraki in 2003, promotes MNCH through U.N.'s Every Woman Every Child effort, diverse multi-sector initiatives, and advocacy campaigns including WBFA 24-7-365 and the Millennium Development Goals and Countdown to 2015. For more information please visit http://www.wbfafrica.org. 

About Every Woman Every Child
Every Woman Every Child was spearheaded by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to catalyze diverse partnerships and increase financial commitments to improve the health of women and children around the world.  Working with leaders from governments, multilateral organizations, the private sector and civil society, Every Woman Every Child aims to save the lives of 16 million women and children and improve the lives of millions more. For more information please visit http://www.everywomaneverychild.org/. 

About McCann Health: Comprising the world's most connected health and wellness experts, McCann Health (www.mccannhealth.com) is the most awarded professional and consumer health communications network with the largest international expertise spanning 35 countries and 57 offices. McCann Health's global network includes McCann HumanCare, McCann Healthcare, McCann Regan Campbell Ward, McCann Torre Lazur, McCann Complete Medical, the leading worldwide medical communications practice, and Double Helix, an international healthcare consultancy focused on working with clients on strategic market research and market access issues. McCann Health is a part of McCann Worldgroup, the largest marketing communications agency network in the world, and is a leading healthcare agency network owned by Interpublic Group [NYSE: IPG].

SOURCE McCann Health