Government aid will 'eradicate polio'

Wednesday, 6 July 2005 12:00 AM

A £60 million package to eradicate polio in the developing world has been launched by international development secretary Hillary Benn.

A third of this will go towards eradicating the disease by the end of the year, while the remainder will provide vaccines for about 500 million children in the 12 countries that are still affected by polio.

Last year, 90 per cent of the 1,255 cases of polio across the world were found in Africa, but Mr Benn hopes that today's funding, given over three years, will ensure the disease never breaks out again.

"Seventeen years ago, there were 350,000 cases reported. Last year there were 1,255 cases - a fall of more than 99 per cent," Mr Benn said.

"The funding I have announced today will, together with other contributions already made, fulfil a long standing G8 pledge to fully fund the final effort to eradicate the disease."

The fall in cases of polio is largely down to a global coalition led by the World Health Organisation and Unicef, which, working with local leaders, has calmed fears about vaccines and carried out a widespread programme of inoculation.

"It even saw warring parties in places like Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone agreeing to momentary ceasefires so that health workers could get in and vaccinate children," Mr Benn said of the coalition's efforts.

"But we cannot stop here. Ensuring polio never breaks out again will cost more than £400 million between 2006 and 2008. That's why today I have also announced that we will contribute £40 million to this post-eradication effort. I call on others to do the same."

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