Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Donates $1.8Billion To Eradicate Polio
“There has been a total of four billion dollars raised here. That gives us 73 percent of” the $5.5 billion needed, he said. Other participants at the summit also announced their contributions — $457 million from Britain, $250 million from Canada, and $240 million from Norway.
While Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan also donate $120 million.
Germany, which had already pledged 100 million Euros, announced it will donate a similar amount again. Meanwhile, the Islamic Development Bank offered $227 million.
The number of worldwide polio infections plunged to 223 in 2012, compared to 360,000 in 1988 when the United Nations launched a campaign to eliminate the highly contagious and crippling illness.
Only three countries are still considered polio endemic — Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“Urgent action is needed to address the skyrocketing price to vaccinate a child, which has risen by 2,700 percent over the last decade,” Executive Director Balasegaram, of MSF’s Access Campaign, Dr Manica
“The lack of transparency by companies on vaccine manufacturing costs and their focus on profits above ensuring sustainable prices for vaccines for low-income countries are at the root of the problem,” she added.
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