Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
KABUL – Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its $500 million commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to help eliminate polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday.
The funding, initially pledged in April 2024, aims to eradicate wild polio in the two countries—where the disease remains endemic—and curb outbreaks of the vaccine-derived variant. Pakistan and Afghanistan reported 99 cases of wild polio last year, according to WHO data.
Meanwhile, Pakistan confirmed its third polio case of 2025 as health authorities intensify vaccination efforts.
GPEI has revised its eradication goals, now aiming to eliminate wild polio by 2027 and the vaccine-derived strain by 2029—pushing back its previous 2026 target for both.
The US, once a major donor to global polio eradication, has signaled plans to withdraw from WHO, which could impact funding. Washington contributed 17% of the initiative’s budget in 2024-2025, WHO figures show.
