The World Health Organisation (WHO) has saluted the UAE for its pivotal role in fighting polio around the world.
The UAE’s polio vaccination programme in Pakistan has helped the country cross a major milestone in global health by interrupting the spread of the highly preventable virus, the UN agency dedicated to international public health said.
More than 15.5 million children across Pakistan’s highest-risk districts
received vital oral polio vaccines in the last week of August, from teams at the UAE’s Pakistan Assistance Programme (UAE PAP), a report published on WHO’s website said.
In the first five months of this year, more than 10.5 million children received doses of polio drops in campaigns supported by the UAE PAP.
Michel Thieren, WHO’s representative to Pakistan, said without UAE support the organisation’s work in hard-to-reach areas in Pakistan would not be possible.
He said: “Each time our polio workers vaccinate a child we are not only keeping that child on her/his feet, but are one step closer to our goal.
“Without the generous and ongoing support of donors like the United Arab Emirates, the programme would be lacking what it needs to push through to the end.”
In 2013, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced a commitment of Dhs440 million to support global efforts to eradicate polio with a focus on Pakistan, one of the worst affected countries.
In July, the UAE PAP announced a further $8.3 million contribution to the polio programme in Pakistan.