Pakistan, Germany sign financing accord on polio eradication

ISLAMABAD: Secretary Economic Affairs Division Mr. Noor Ahmed and Germany’s KfW Country Director Mr. Wolfgang Moeller on Friday signed a financing agreement for polio eradication phase- II worth €5 million in Islamabad.

According to a statement released from the ministry, the agreement envisages to exclusively finance polio vaccines as well as vaccination campaigns to strengthen measures for the implementation of Pakistan’s 2018-2019 National Polio Emergency Action Plan (NEAP).

The programme is to be executed by UNICEF and WHO and is in continuation of Polio Eradication Programme Phase I.

The National Task Force (NTF) for polio eradication headed by the prime minister has led to marked reduction in the numbers of polio cases from 306 in 2014 to 54 in 2015, 20 in 2016, 8 in 2017 and only 4 in 2018.

The turnaround has been widely appreciated at national and international forums and the ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination is hoping to eradicate the menace of polio from Pakistan till the year 2020, reads the statement.