Nigeria , others to benefit from N90b anti- polio grant
By Bola Olajuwon and Joseph Okoghenum
A NEW initiative to confront the polio scourge in the endemic areas of the world was yesterday unfolded by Rotary International, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the British and German governments with a commitment of more than $630 million (over N90 billion).
The terms of the new initiative, which was agreed on in the United States (U.S.) on Wednesday, were geared towards eradicating the disease worldwide, especially in Asian, Middle East and African countries, Nigeria inclusive.
According to Chairman, Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee, Busuyi Onabolu, who disclosed this to journalist in Lagos yesterday, the current commitment was one of the largest-ever joint investments for polio eradication in the history of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) for which Nigeria is expected to enjoy the largest share.
Onabolu said the GPEI partners have therefore urged other donors and leaders of countries where polio still existed to join them in its eradication.
Onabolu added that though great progress had been made in the areas of eradication of the disease, but challenges still remained owing to presence of endemic wild poliovirus in four countries of the world - Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Nigeria, now known globally as PAIN in global polio circle.
The new monetary commitment, he said, was timely in order to confront the identified and new challenges in the four endemic countries and others where the disease was still threatening children in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
According to Onabolu, who was joined by members of the committee during the briefing, the Gates Foundation as part of the N90 billion commitment is awarding $255 million (over N36 billion) to Rotary - the major private sector fundraiser for polio eradication in the world - which the organisation must match with an addition $100 million (N14 billion) over the next three years.
Also, the United Kingdom (UK) is pledging $150 million (N21 billion) and Germany is giving an additional $130 million (N18 billion) over the next five years, which will go-directly to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
"We hope this shared commitment will challenge other donors to step up and make sure there are enough resources to eradicate this crippling and potentially fatal disease once and for all.
"As a Nigerian, I'm proud to say that in 2007/2008, the Federal Government contributed some N34 billion toward ending polio in the country," he said.
The committee chief, said this is the second challenge grant for polio eradication the Gates Foundation has given Rotary.
His words: "The first came in November 2007, when Rotary agreed to match a 100 million dollar grant dollar-for-dollar.
"Despite the current global economic climate, Rotary has raised more than 61 million US dollars toward the first match since the kickoff of the campaign last year. In addition, some 11 million U.S. dollars has also been committed.
"
