Ottawa – The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, announced today Canada's support towards eradicating polio in sub-Saharan Africa and Afghanistan, in partnersh hip with Rotary International.
Today's announcement of $30 million will help immunize children in sub-Saharan Africa of which at least $15 million will go to Nigeria, w here polio is still endemic. This commitment is in addition to $60 million announced in June of this year towards one of Canada's signature projects to help eradicate polio in Kandahar and throughout Afghanistan.
"Canada's contribution will ensure that millions of children in Sub-Saharan Africa and Afghanistan are protected against polio, a debilitating illness," said Minister Oda. "Our innovative partnership with Rotary Internati onal, along with the World Health Organization and UNICEF will help ensure that we move towards destroying this crippling disease."
"Canada has led the way in the fight to eradicate polio from the face of the w orld," said Wilfrid Wilkinson, President, Rotary International. "As Chairman of Rotary's Polio Eradication Advocacy for Canada, I congratulate the Government for its generosity which is strategically directed to Nigeria and Afghanistan, two of t he four remaining polio endemic countries in the world."
Canada has committed close to $331 million towards polio eradication and is working to support new immunization strategies in countr ies where polio remains endemic.
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Information:
Joanna Bailey
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Cooperation
Telephone: 819-953-6238
Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (
CIDA
)
Telephone: 819-953-6534
E-mail:
media@acdi-cida.gc.ca
Backgrounder
September 4, 2008
Canada's Commitment to Eradicating Polio with Rotary International
Canada has been a long tim e supporter of polio eradication initiatives and has invested nearly $331 million in immunization programs making it one of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative's top five government donors.
With the new commitment of $30 million announced by Minister Oda on September 4, Canada has now committed a total of $90 million towards eradicating polio in sub-Saharan Africa and Afghanistan.
Working with Rotary International, the World Health Organization (
WHO
) and UNICEF, Canada's support will immunize millions of children and help banish polio from countries where it is still endemic.
Canada's support to Sub-Saharan Africa will help launch national immunization campaigns to improve the quality of immunization services, strengthen Nigeria's existing disease surveillance system and train medical professiona ls. These new funds will build on previous polio immunization projects in Nigeria. Funds will also go to ensure continued protection of children who are at risk in other African countries.
Canada's $60 million investment in Afghanistan will help vaccinate seven million children, including 350,000 in Kandahar and makes Canada the largest international donor to Afghanistan in this area.
According to the World Hea lth Organization, only four countries in the world remain polio-endemic, down from more than 125 in 1988. These include Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Nigeria.
Polio or poliomyelitis mainly affects children under five.
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Information:
Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (
CIDA
)
Telephone: 819-953-6534
E-mail:
media@acdi-cida.gc.ca
