UAE's Commitment to Global Polio Eradication

On October 24, 2024, the UAE celebrated World Polio Day while focusing on the expansion of its work on the eradication of polio around the world. Since 2011 under the auspices of “Reaching the Last Mile,” a campaign initiated by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE has spent more than $353 million on polio vaccination projects. This campaign has played a major role in helping the children of Pakistan to receive over 700 million vaccines from 2014-September 2023, thus helping in the global efforts to eradicate the disease.

In an effort to respond to emerging threats, such as pandemics, the UAE funded AED 18.3 million for an emergency polio vaccination in Gaza due to a recently reported incident of the virus in the region. More than 640,000 children are intended to be vaccinated during the campaign, which also demonstrates the UAE’s health initiatives leadership.

The international community has recognized the UAE’s efforts in terms of humanitarian assistance; the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the U.S. government commended the UAE for its efforts in vaccination campaigns around the world. In conjunction with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, they are hence assisting in providing vaccines to most at risk populations is UAE’s initiative. Vow polio may not be completely eradicated in the short-term, but the global health enterprise of the UAE will reassess and adapt to encroach into horizons helping people, hence the resolve.