The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary
International, and the British and German governments have
committed more than $630m in new funds to fight polio.
The crippling and sometimes fatal disease, which is still a
problem in parts of Africa and Asia,paralyses children.
In addition to pledging needed funds, leaders urged additional
donors and leaders of countries where polio still exists to join
them in an aggressive push for eradication.
The
Gates
Foundation is awarding a $255m challenge grant to Rotary, which
Rotary will match with $100m raised by its members over the next
three years.
At the same time, the UK government is giving an additional
£100m and Germany is giving an additional $130m over the next five
years, both to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
"Rotarians, government leaders and health professionals have
made a phenomenal commitment, so polio afflicts only a small number
of the world's children," said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Gates
Foundation and founder of Microsoft.
"However, complete elimination of the polio virus is difficult
and will continue to be difficult for a number of years. Rotary in
particular has inspired my own personal commitment to get deeply
involved in achieving eradication."