February 2025
Esteemed Chair, Your Excellencies, Director-Common,
Ours is the one remaining WHO area with endemic wild poliovirus.
Now we have an immense duty, which the area has accepted with confidence and dedication.
As 2024 started, we had been on the verge of eradicating wild poliovirus in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the final two polio-endemic international locations. However then got here a resurgence, alongside outbreaks of variant poliovirus in Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and the Gaza Strip.
I used to be privileged to go to Afghanistan and Pakistan twice final 12 months. I noticed wonderful work by frontline well being staff. We have to strengthen their capacities to allow them to do much more.
Our technique stays simple: vaccinate each baby and sustain a sturdy seek for poliovirus, to cease additional unfold.
Reaching that is removed from easy. Afghanistan and Pakistan face immense geopolitical, infrastructural, environmental and safety challenges.
However none of those challenges is insurmountable.
In Gaza, throughout a humanitarian pause final 12 months, over 560, 000 youngsters had been vaccinated in opposition to polio – due to WHO led multi-actor, multi-level coordination and the braveness of communities and well being staff.
If we did it in Gaza, we will do it anyplace.
Member States requested final night about cooperation amongst international locations. Our Area leads the best way. The Ministerial Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks, which I convene and is cochaired by Qatar and UAE, has united the area in solidarity, collective motion and mutual help. WHO is convening the Well being Dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan to make sure the important cooperation for the 2 international locations to attain polio eradication concurrently whereas addressing their broader well being wants.
I’ve set the gears for polio eradication which have totally engaged WHO nation representatives and their groups and WHO Headquarters. Dr. Tedros and I’ve joined forces to deal with essentially the most tough challenges.
We’re in full sync with our GPEI companions, my visits to endemic international locations and donor engagements are with the Chair of the Polio Oversight Board and my UNICEF counterpart. Rotary stays a steadfast companion and chief. The disengagement of CDC and USAID is costing us already with lack of their technical, strategic and monetary help. In monetary phrases this implies a lack of $133 million to the GPEI, a lack of $100 million for WHO annually. The GPEI general faces a funding shortfall of $2.4 billion for its present plan that’s prolonged as much as 2029. We’re extraordinarily appreciative of the well timed $500 million pledge by Saudi Arabia at this important stage of the eradication effort with diminishing sources.
We our doing our half. We want the worldwide group’s steadfast help to assist us throughout the end line.
Allow us to ensure each final baby is vaccinated. Solely then will polio be eradicated.
