Global Leaders Pledge $1.2B To Protect 450m Kids From Polio

Global Health Leaders has reaffirmed their commitment to eradicate polio and provide $1.2 billion to finance efforts to end the disease.

A statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja by Mr Geoffrey Njoku, UNICEF Communication Specialist, said the leaders gave the assurance at the Rotary Convention in Atlanta.

The leaders included UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake; Dr Anne Schuchat, Acting Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan.

Others are Chris Elias, Global Development President; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Chair of the GPEI Polio Oversight Board.

The statement quoted Elias recalling that some years ago, polio paralysed over 350,000 children annually in more than 125 countries around the world.

He lauded the efforts of governments, health workers, donors and partners for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a public private partnership dedicated to ending the disease.

The president, who described the virus as highly contagious, however said that it has been eliminated in almost all the countries left with Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, adding that there have been only five cases till date.

However emphasised that children remain at risk everywhere until polio is completely stopped, describing its elimination as perpetual gift to coming generation.

Elias noted that the convention, which was the gathering of government representatives and partners, was to renew their commitment in supporting crucial activities such as vaccination and disease monitoring.

This, he noted, would protect more than 450 million children from polio each year thereby resulting to ending the disease in the region.

He appreciated the laudable efforts of Rotarians, governments and health workers in assuring that there will be an end to the virus.