UN develops a new plan to eradicate poliomyelitis
Baku, April 26 (AZERTAC). The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced a new six-year plan to eradicate poliomyelitis. To implement it would require U.S. $ 5.5 billion.
The plan provides for the expansion of vaccination programs against polio, particularly in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria, where the virus remains endemic.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said that the plan points the way to eradicate polio. She said that now the world has a new data-type poliovirus, new technologies and tactics, enabling interoperability with the most vulnerable communities
Dr Margaret Chan believes that the experience and knowledge acquired in the work to eradicate polio, created in this connection infrastructure will help to ensure that health care was available to all children and all communities.
Spokesman for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative Sona Bari drew attention to the progress in the fight against polio in the last two years. In particular, she recalled that India managed to break free from polio.
The aim of the new plan is to bring the number of such cases to zero. The task is to stop transmission of the virus within the coming two years. Then, for three years, they will continue examination in different regions of the world in order to make sure that the virus is destroyed.
According to estimations of WHO and UNICEF for polio eradication by implementing a six-year strategic plan for the years 2013-2018 will require U.S. $ 5.5 billion. Donors and other partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are committed to make the implementation of the plan for more than 4 billion U.S. dollars.
At the summit meeting of the Global Initiative, held in Abu Dhabi, the world leaders have expressed confidence that the plan will be implemented and will contribute to achieving this goal - a world free of polio by 2018.
Poliomyelitis or polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease. People can get polio at any age, but it is especially susceptible children under the age of five years. There is no drugs for this disease, but there are safe and effective vaccine.
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