Saudi Arabia renews $500 million pledge to global polio fight

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has renewed its $500 million commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), reinforcing its role in the international fight to wipe out the disease.

The announcement was made during the fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, where global health leaders met to discuss efforts to reach vulnerable children and end polio transmission.

The pledge, first made in April 2024 at the World Economic Forum’s special meeting in Riyadh, will help fund vaccinations for 370 million children annually.

Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief),signed the agreement alongside Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO); Catherine Russell, Executive Director of Unicef; Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; Dr. Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation; and Aziz Memon, head of the Pakistan Polio Program at Rotary International.

“The world is on track to eradicate polio once and for all, and Saudi Arabia is part of this global initiative,” Dr. Al Rabeeah said.

“This contribution will help protect today’s most vulnerable children so that future generations can live free from this preventable disease.”

Since its launch in 1988, GPEI has driven a 99 per cent reduction in polio cases, preventing paralysis in an estimated 20 million people. But health officials warn that fragile humanitarian conditions in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen continue to fuel the virus’s spread.

Polio resurfaces in Gaza

In 2024, polio resurfaced in Gaza, marking the first recorded case in 25 years. A child was left paralyzed, a stark reminder of the lingering threat posed by the disease.

“We have come a long way in our shared mission to erase polio from history, but the last mile is the hardest,” said Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director-General. “This generous contribution from Saudi Arabia will help us reach children in conflict zones and high-risk areas.”

The fight against polio has come down to logistics and funding. Vaccination campaigns must reach children in remote and war-torn areas, where disrupted health services leave communities vulnerable. Governments and health workers, backed by GPEI, are adapting their strategies, integrating polio vaccines with other essential health services to reach the hardest-hit regions.

The effort is being driven by some of the world’s most influential global health figures, including Bill Gates, Chairman of the Gates Foundation, who described the progress as unprecedented but fragile.

“Just a few decades ago, polio crippled 350,000 children a year. In 2023, that number dropped to just 12,” Gates said. “The world is closer than ever to eliminating this disease, but getting across the finish line will require continued global leadership and support.”