RIYADH: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its commitment to the global fight against polio by pledging $500 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). This significant financial support was announced at the fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, marking a major step towards eradicating the disease worldwide.
According to a statement by Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, this pledge, originally made in April 2024 during the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Riyadh, will be used to vaccinate 370 million children annually. The initiative aims to stop the transmission of polio, a disease that once paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children each year.
Dr. Abdullah al Rabeeah, Supervisor General of the King Salman Relief and Humanitarian Centre, emphasized the Kingdom’s pride in contributing to the eradication of polio. “The Kingdom’s contribution will go toward protecting the most vulnerable children so that future generations can live free from this preventable disease,” he stated.
Despite significant progress, polio remains a threat in regions facing humanitarian crises, such as parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen. The virus’s return to Gaza in 2024, after a 25-year absence, highlighted the ongoing risk.
World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed the challenges faced in the final phase of eradication efforts. He noted that Saudi Arabia’s contribution would aid in reaching children in conflict zones and hard-to-reach areas.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell highlighted the fragility of global eradication efforts, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining high vaccination rates. She praised Saudi Arabia’s support in ensuring every child receives life-saving vaccinations.
The GPEI’s extended 2022-2029 Strategy aims to address these challenges by adapting vaccination delivery within humanitarian crises and strengthening health systems. Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, commended the global efforts, noting the dramatic decrease in polio cases from 350,000 annually to just 12 in 2023.
Following the signing event, Dr. Abdullah al Rabeeah will participate in a panel discussion with GPEI leaders and health advocates, focusing on the importance of eradicating polio and improving global health security.