The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced new grants as part of its ongoing support to Pakistan’s polio eradication program and to assist the government’s response to this year’s floods. The grants “will fund initiatives aiming to provide assistance to polio survivors as well as address the urgent needs of families affected by the floods in parts of Sindh province.” Sindh province experienced a significant polio outbreak following the floods and currently accounts for nearly 20% of cases reported in the country. So far this year Pakistan has reported 161 cases of polio, more than any other country in the world. The Gates Foundation said it allocated more than 198 million rupees in grants for additional support to Pakistan in 2011, including a grant to WHO to support the physical rehabilitation of more than 200 children paralyzed by polio; a grant to the Government of Sindh to directly support more than 4,400 families in Umerkot and one other district affected by this year’s floods and a grant to Save the Children to support relief operations.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/press-releases/Pages/polio-eradication-and-flood-response-pakistan-111130.aspx