Bill & & Melinda Gates Foundation together with Qatar will launch the Polio Legacy Challenge to help get rid of the disease in Afghanistan, a leading authorities of the organisation informed Gulf Times.According to Chris Elias, the president of the Global Development Division at Bill & & Melinda Gates Foundation, the campaign will be performed in conjunction with the Islamic Development Bank, in addition to Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia.
“& ldquo; With our deal with polio eradication, we are actually releasing something called the Polio Legacy Challenge with the Islamic Development Bank.
“& ldquo; Gates Foundation and the governments of Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia will offer some financing through the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund to support the primary healthcare system in Afghanistan,” & rdquo“; Elias said.
& ldquo; This is a brand-new effort that is simply starting now.
We are essentially dealing with the countries that have suggested their interest in doing it and in the process of finalising the arrangements with the Islamic Development Bank.
We want to introduce it in early 2025,” & rdquo; he discussed.
& ldquo; We will have a governing body in which all of the contributors will participate.
The funds will be administered through the Islamic Development Bank for support of the main health care system in Afghanistan,” & rdquo; continued the official.Elias noted that presently he chairs the board of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and has been dealing with Qatar on some of the local initiatives to help settle the job of polio obliteration.“& ldquo; We have actually seen the wild polio infection in the two endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Under the auspices of the World Health Organisation, the regional subcommittee on polio eradication is co-chaired by Qatar and UAE.
“& ldquo; The ministers of health of the Middle East region have in fact been really useful in motivating both Pakistan and Afghanistan to do what is required for the final elimination of polio infection.
Once again, Qatar has been very valuable in this regard.” & rdquo; Polio is still present in Afghanistan, with the wild poliovirus endemic just in Afghanistan and Pakistan.In 2024, Afghanistan reported 23 cases.
In 2022, Afghanistan reported 2 cases, and five during 2023.
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