Abu Dhabi, December 8 (WAM) – Abu Dhabi today witnessed a high-level event that brought together international leaders and prominent global stakeholders in the healthcare sector, during which they announced a collective pledge of US$1.9 billion to support global efforts aimed at eradicating polio.
This includes approximately $1.2 billion in new funding that will help reduce the remaining resource gap in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) 2022–2029 strategy to just $440 million, and accelerate vital efforts to reach 370 million children annually with vaccines and strengthen health systems in affected countries.
This global pledge came during an event entitled “Investing in Humanity: United to Eradicate Polio,” hosted by the Mohammed bin Zayed Humanitarian Impact Foundation in partnership with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, as part of the Abu Dhabi Financial Week events.
The event was attended by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of the Mohammed bin Zayed Humanitarian Impact Foundation; Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, Minister of Planning and Development of Pakistan; Bill Gates, Chairman and Board Member of the Gates Foundation; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; along with leaders of governments, international organizations and the private sector.
The event saw pledges announced by a number of countries and donors, including $1.2 billion from the Gates Foundation; $140 million from the Mohamed bin Zayed Humanitarian Impact Foundation; $450 million from Rotary International; $100 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies; $154 million from Pakistan; $62 million from Germany; $46 million from the United States of America; $6 million from Japan; $4 million from IFANCA, the Islamic Food and Nutrition Organization of America; and $3 million from Luxembourg.
On this occasion, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, said: “Today, we are on the verge of achieving a historic milestone for humanity by eradicating polio. But accomplishing this task requires a redoubling of efforts from all parties. The support announced here in Abu Dhabi will be crucial in reaching every child in endemic countries and halting the spread of variants around the world.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, is one of the most prominent global leaders supporting the campaign to eradicate polio. Since 2011, he has provided more than US$525 million in support of this vital cause and has played a pivotal role in mobilizing international efforts and resources and highlighting the need to accelerate the pace of eradication globally.
Through the UAE’s polio vaccination campaign, more than 850 million doses of vaccines have been delivered to children in Pakistan since 2014, with a special focus on remote and hard-to-reach communities.
This event marks the third pledge moment hosted by Abu Dhabi, following the 2013 and 2019 conferences which together raised $6.6 billion in support of the global efforts led by the initiative.
For her part, Her Highness Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairperson of the Mohamed bin Zayed Humanitarian Impact Foundation, said: “The pledges announced today embody our shared commitment to eradicating polio, strengthening health systems, and ensuring that every child is protected from this preventable disease. Decades of progress and international action have proven that a polio-free world is a realistic goal when we work together. Thanks to the vision and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God protect him, we are proud to join forces with countries and partners to achieve this humanitarian objective.”
Wild poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, while outbreaks of the variant continue to threaten children around the world. The pledges announced today reaffirm the international commitment to continue the fight and protect future generations from a disease that, before global efforts to control it began, paralyzed a thousand children a day across 125 countries.
Eradicating polio would make it the second human disease to be eradicated in history after smallpox, and is expected to save the world more than $33 billion by 2100, compared to the ongoing costs of responding to and controlling outbreaks.
Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said: “The fight to eradicate polio demonstrates what the world can achieve when it unites behind a common goal. We’re 99.9% there, but reaching the finish line requires the same determination that got us there. This new funding will help complete the mission and strengthen the health systems that protect children from this disease forever.”
Bloomberg Philanthropies has been a key partner in global polio eradication efforts for more than a decade, investing $325 million to date. Its support for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative has helped deliver life-saving vaccines to children in some of the world’s most difficult and challenging regions, while ensuring that outbreak monitoring and response systems and immunization programs remain strong and effective in protecting children wherever they are.
Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg plc, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases, said: “Bloomberg Philanthropies has partnered with the Gates Foundation for more than a decade to eradicate polio, and today we are on the cusp of a truly historic milestone. This new $100 million contribution to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and our partners around the world will bring us closer to our goal and protect even more people from the devastating effects of this disease.”
The tireless work of governments, advocates, researchers and partners has contributed to reducing polio cases by more than 99% since 1988. Intensive efforts to reach every child with vaccines have led to substantial improvements in the health infrastructure, including strengthening routine immunization programs, developing disease surveillance systems and improving emergency response efficiency.
Despite this progress, the path to eradication has never been a straight line. After recording historic lows in 2021 and 2023, 39 children were paralyzed this year in Pakistan and Afghanistan as a result of the wild virus, while the mutated strain continues to spread in 18 countries, confirming that the challenges associated with reaching every child still exist and require more work and international commitment.
Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan’s Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, said: “Pakistan is committed to eradicating polio and protecting every child. Through innovative immunization strategies and enhanced community engagement, we are building trust and reaching more children. These efforts bring us closer to achieving a polio-free Pakistan and a healthier future for all.”
“These generous pledges from donors today, along with the continued support of other partners, will enable health workers around the world to reach every child, especially those who consistently miss vaccinations in the most fragile and conflict-affected areas,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “UNICEF reaffirms its full commitment to playing its part in eradicating polio once and for all.”
Dr. Sanya Nishtar, CEO of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), said: “Decades of global partnership – including the pivotal role played by the UAE, along with other key supporters – have brought us closer than ever to ending polio. As we continue to work innovatively towards this shared goal, this new funding gives us renewed confidence that we will soon be able to achieve a polio-free future for all children.”
Mike McGovern, president of the International Committee for the Polo Plus Program at Rotary International, said: “Twenty million people are able to walk today thanks to polio vaccines. We have learned, developed and innovated a lot along the way, and Rotary will remain committed to continuing this fight until we achieve complete victory over the disease.”
Reem Alabli-Radovan, Germany’s Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, said: “Germany remains steadfast in its support for the global fight against polio. Through joint action and investment in strong health systems – including vital contributions to the WHO and UNICEF, such as those announced today – we can ensure that every child, wherever they are, is protected from this preventable disease.”
Mohammad Munir Chowdhury, president of the Islamic Food and Nutrition Organization of America (IFANCA), said that supporting children and protecting the most vulnerable is at the heart of IFANCA’s mission, and we are proud to renew our commitment to global efforts to eradicate polio and to work to ensure that life-saving protection reaches every child. Reaching the finish line is the hardest part, but we stand with our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to get the job done and achieve a world completely free of this disease.
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