Millions of dollars pledged in latest round of polio eradication

After two decades of directing significant effort and expense toward the elimination of polio, approximately $635 million was pledged Jan. 21 to complete the task in the four nations where the pathogen still causes death and disability.

"We are on the brink of eradicating one of the most feared diseases in the world," said Jonathan Majiyagbe, chair of Rotary Foundation, the charitable arm of Rotary International. He also is a lawyer based in Kano, Nigeria, one of the countries struggling with cases of this infection.

Several deadlines for the complete extermination of polio have been missed, although a great deal of progress has been made. No one is talking about a new target date, but they are intensifying the push to do so. To that end, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded $255 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Of this amount, $100 million is a challenge grant requiring Rotary to raise matching funds over the next three years. The United Kingdom promised to provide $150 million, and Germany will be giving $130 million.

More information about the initiative is available online (link).

"Polio has been eliminated from most parts of the globe," said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "We can all be very proud of the work that has been done. ... In order to reach our goal, we need to invest more time and money to finish the eradication. I'm optimistic that we will be successful."

But the money is not expected to be enough. Another $340 million will be needed for 2009 and 2010. More than $6 billion has already been spent, and those involved are calling for more donors to step up. If efforts slow down or stop, experts believe the disease will return to former levels within approximately five years.

"If we do not do this, we will lose all the investment," Gates said. "I'm urging everyone to redouble their commitment to see eradication to the end. We have the tools and the strategies, and we are getting very close."

Approximately 350,000 cases occurred in 1988 when efforts began. The virus caused 1,600 illnesses in India, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan last year.

"Successfully eradicating polio is crucially important, not just to ensure that no child will ever again be paralyzed by this devastating disease, but also to show that today -- in the 21st century -- we can deliver lifesaving health interventions to every single child, no matter where they live, and even in the most difficult and challenging environments," said Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization.

Last year, eradicating polio became the WHO's top operational priority.