The world has made extraordinary progress in its fight against polio, and we are closer than ever to elimination. Today the disease remains endemic in only two countries – Pakistan and Afghanistan, but there were nine cases of polio identified in Mozambique in 2022. Until poliovirus transmission is interrupted in these countries, all countries remain at risk, and countries with weak public health services and travel or trade links to endemic countries are especially at risk. Progress against polio is fragile and requires unwavering commitment. If we fail to eradicate the disease, the world could begin to see up to 200,000 new cases annually within the next ten years.

2
countries

remain endemic – Afghanistan and Pakistan

31
cases

of wild poliovirus reported in 2022

99%
decrease

in the number of polio cases since 1985

Through our efforts on the ground in Pakistan and our commitments to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, the UAE is working to eliminate polio from every town, village and country in the world. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, has personally committed more than US$ 327 million to global efforts to eliminate polio.

Emirates Polio Campaign

The Emirates Polio Campaign enables the administration of vaccinations in areas of the country previously thought unreachable. The campaign leverages the UAE’s expertise and unique resources on the ground to reach remote locations. Since the campaign’s launch, cases of polio-related child paralysis have dropped dramatically, freeing a generation from the lifelong burden of disability.

In 2020, vaccination programs around the world were halted due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 and many leaders in the health community warned of a potential new polio crisis. However, The EPC overcame these new challenges and was the first program in the world to resume polio vaccinations. Since resuming vaccination campaigns in July of 2020, the EPC has also taken a strong role in protecting and educating the communities they serve about COVID-19.
  1. 119 Million Pakistani children vaccinated
  2. 647 Million doses of polio vaccine administered*
  3. 106 Million community health workers trained

*Provided through the Emirates Polio Campaign between 2014 and 2022

UAE Pakistan Assistance Program

The Emirates Polio Campaign works in close coordination with UAE Pakistan Assistance Program (UAE PAP), recognizing that communities at risk for polio also face extreme poverty and poor access to sanitation, basic health care, infrastructure and nutritious food. The program takes a coordinated approach to poverty eradication by delivering food aid, building water treatment plants and spearheading infrastructure projects to connect these communities to essential services and markets.

  1. 64 water purification treatment plants built
  2. 898 kilometers of roads built in SWAT valley
  3. 43 primary and secondary schools built

Gallery

About Polio

Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a highly infectious viral disease caused by the poliovirus. It mainly affects young children and can cause paralysis in some cases. There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented by vaccination.

 

I spend a lot of time on polio, part of it talking to the funders to make sure they continue their commitment even though eradication is taking longer than any of us would like. I remind them of the huge benefits of success, and the risk that the disease will return in a big way if we don’t finish the job.

Bill Gates
Co-Founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation