At the World Health Summit in Berlin, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced it will commit $1.2 billion to the eradication of polio worldwide.
“The last steps to eradication are by far the toughest. But our foundation remains dedicated to a polio-free future, and we’re optimistic that we will see it soon.” said foundation CEO Mark Suzman.
– Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The donation will support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative efforts to eradicate the polio virus in the last two endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Progress in the region has been slow due to a war-torn Afghanistan and Islamic militants in Pakistan accusing vaccines to be a Western campaign to sterilize children.
Since 1988, the World Health Organization reduced polio by 99% in the first 10 years. But has since faced criticism for failing to completely eradicate the disease.
