A Global Campaign to Eradicate Polio: As a frontrunner in humanitarian endeavours, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia makes a substantial contribution to global initiatives aimed at disease prevention and control.
One of its notable humanitarian endeavours is the Saudi Initiative to End Polio in the World, an admirable effort to shield children everywhere from terrible illness.
What is the Saudi Effort to Eradicate Polio?
In collaboration with the Bill Gates Charitable Foundation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia initiated a global campaign to eradicate polio worldwide and protect up to 370 million people against the disease.
Under the patronage of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, this is happening during the first worldwide meeting of the Global Economic Forum in Davos, which is being held in Riyadh to address the most serious concerns facing the globe.
Saudi Arabia’s Polio Vaccine Programme:
Saudi Arabia wants to eradicate polio from the earth, according to Fahd Al-Jalajel, the country’s minister of health.
This reflects a clear Saudi desire to increase interest in this category, as Saudi Arabia was one of the first Arab countries and Eastern Mediterranean countries to use childhood vaccines, including polio vaccines, as it began taking the necessary steps to strengthen children’s vaccine programmes and introduce several vaccines, including poliomyelitis.
The Kingdom also maintained children’s birth certificates at the point of issue until basic immunisations with vaccines were complete.
The Ministry of Health’s enhanced immunisation programme received a budget increase from 120 million in 2006 to 180 million in 2007, during which time the vaccination coverage rate for children’s diseases exceeded 96%.
Infection with Polio:
According to the World Health Organisation, “children” under the age of five are the main victims of polio.
However, in one out of every 200 cases of infection, the condition may cause irreversible paralysis.
Remembering this is important, that between 5% and 10% of individuals who suffer from paralysis pass away due to the failure of their respiratory muscles.
Funding for the Polio Programme from the Kingdom:
Al-Jalajel declared that Saudi Arabia planned to give US$620 million over the following five years to end polio.
This is the biggest effort by a sovereign donor to bolster the plan to end the illness while also enhancing children’s health care.
Developing Polio Vaccines with Artificial Intelligence:
The World Health Organization’s Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, disclosed during a forum that artificial intelligence will be able to close the gap in access to healthcare by creating the necessary vaccines to end illnesses like polio.
This campaign aims to increase public knowledge of the significance of vaccination and prevention of polio, as well as to make efforts to provide the appropriate medical care for those who are afflicted. Polio cases are among the most severe diseases that affect children under the age of five.
It is more crucial than ever to put an end to polio since the World Health Organisation warns that failing to do so could cause the illness to resurface.
You may read about the Review of Saudi Delegation’s Counter-COVID-19 Efforts in London
