KEY 05 - Investing in a Polio-free Future for More Resilient Health Systems

With wild poliovirus transmission at low levels, the global effort to eradicate polio is in its final stretch, presenting an historic opportunity to ensure no child is paralyzed by this disease ever again.

In 2022, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) launched a call for US$4.8 billion to fully implement its 2022-2026 Strategy to overcome the final barriers to a polio-free world. A fully funded GPEI will be able to vaccinate 370 million children annually over the next five years, preventing future cases of polio paralysis, saving the world over US$30 billion this century through achieving eradication and strengthening health systems through contributions from the polio program’s workforce and infrastructure.

This event will recognize partners and major donors who have made new financial and political commitments to the GPEI’s Strategy and explore the broader health benefits of supporting polio eradication. This will include a discussion of how GPEI support and infrastructure is key to pandemic preparedness and response and how it has played a crucial role in tackling health emergencies, such as Ebola, measles, and COVID-19. It will also highlight how the GPEI works to deliver other health services and vaccines to underserved communities.