WHO, King Salman Foundation Pledge $500M to Eradicate Polio

The World Health Organization (WHO) and King Salman Relief and Humanitarian Centre have signed an agreement worth $500 million to strengthen polio eradication programs in two countries.

Tedros Adhanom, the director-general of the World Health Organization, announced that this financial aid will soon be used in Afghanistan and Pakistan to prevent the spread of polio.

Regarding this agreement, the WHO chief stated:” I am pleased to sign this agreement with Supervisor-General Abdullah al Rabeeah, and to work together to turn the commitment into action.”

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, in collaboration with its international partners, including the WHO, conducts more than ten vaccination campaigns annually to combat this disease.

Doctors believe that vaccination alone cannot completely eradicate polio; therefore, Afghanistan and Pakistan must collaborate jointly in this regard.

Mujtaba Soufi, a doctor, commented on the effectiveness of polio eradication efforts in the country, saying: “I think we have not worked properly and sufficiently to eliminate this disease. We have technical teams and experienced advisors whose recommendations should be utilized to ensure that this money is used correctly for the complete eradication of polio in Afghanistan.”

“It is necessary for both countries, in cooperation with international organizations, especially the WHO, to establish a structured plan and a joint strategy so that we can eliminate this disease under the framework of this program,” Ahmad Shakib Zahir, another doctor, told .

Last year, the WHO reported more than 20 confirmed cases of polio in Afghanistan, a statistic that was completely rejected by the Ministry of Public Health.