$575M shortfall in polio eradication funding

The World Health Organization and other partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have discussed the problems of eradicating indigenous wild polio virus, which survives in only four countries. 10 other countries are experiencing outbreaks caused by the importation of the virus from Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan (Marketletter February 26).

The GPEI held a consultation at the WHO's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, at the end of February to discuss the shortfall of $575.0 million in the 2007-2008 funding period. According to the WHO, $60.0 million is required by April this year. In addition to the GPEI's partners, each of the four countries with indigenous polio virus sent representatives from their respective Ministries of Health and Finance, as well as major donors, political organizations and technical experts. The WHO also welcomed the presence of special advisers to three of the four targeted countries as a sign of the importance attached to polio eradication by the affected governments.

Polio eradication campaign faces curtailment