ISLAMABAD: French Development Agency has pledged 55 million dollars to help support Pakistan’s Polio Program operations, in a bid to interrupt poliovirus transmission.
With this, the French Development Agency has become part of world polio eradication partners with its commitment to fill the funding gap of the Pakistan government in its efforts to end polio.
AFD delegation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation held a meeting with the Special Health Secretary and went to the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication.
The meetings were part of the week-long visit of the delegation to Pakistan to support the country in the areas of social protection and health.
During the meeting at the NEOC, the AFD delegation committed to supporting the Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative in immunization activities, polio campaign monitoring, disease surveillance, and other technical areas, and filling the funding gap of 55 million dollars.
Polio infrastructure’s importance emphasized
Dr Shahzad Baig, NEOC Coordinator, emphasized the importance of the polio infrastructure to the country’s healthcare. He thanked the French government for its support.
He said that the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program was a vital part of its healthcare system and investing in polio was an investment in the country’s overall health system.
