A range of stakeholders formally launched a new 2010-12 polio eradication strategic plan in Geneva. Last month, the World Health Assembly “welcomed the new plan while expressing deep concern about the US$ 1.3 billion funding shortfall (out of a budget of US$ 2.6 billion) over the next three years. This financing shortfall is a serious risk to the eradication of polio – activities are already being cut back or postponed due to a lack of funds.” The meting was co-hosted by WHO and UNICEF and attended by the Ministers of Health of Nigeria, Afghanistan, Angola and Senegal, among a number of other senior health ministry officials; existing and potential funders; vaccine manufacturers, and key partner organizations.  Tachi Yamada, president of global health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, commented, “Polio eradication remains an urgent priority for our foundation. We call on donor governments to also prioritize polio as we seek to eliminate these last, most difficult cases.”

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is ‘spearheaded by national governments, WHO, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and UNICEF. Since 1988 (the year the GPEI was launched), the incidence of polio has been reduced by more than 99%. In 1988, more than 350 000 children were paralyzed each year in more than 125 endemic countries. In 2009, 1 595 children were paralyzed in 24 countries. Only four countries remain endemic: Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan.”

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2010/polio_eradication_20100616/en/index.html