Polio Vaccination Programme by the UAE Reaches 57 Million Pakistani Children
The pride of the Arab World, AKA the United Arab Emirates, is always at the forefront of humanitarian aid. The UAE has been doing its best in Pakistan, sending 347 million vaccines to 57 million children since 2014; providing $120 million to fund the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Millions of children have been saved from polio due to a 30-year campaign that serves to eliminate this lethal disease. Three decades ago, the disease could have been found in over 120 countries. Today all countries minus Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria are declared polio-free. Humanity has gone a long way, however, the final stretch and battle are always the hardest.
For those who are unfamiliar, polio occurs in childhood and is caused by poor sanitation and contaminated water. It can invade an infected person’s brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis and sometimes even death.
The UAE’s program in Pakistan was launched by Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed, President of the UAE. In a similar manner, his son, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, has donated US$167 million since 2011 in support of global efforts to eradicate the disease.
